The Sun. — London, England, 1863-04-20 00:00:00

THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE O'Ago.■.= , ‘ (From the Times Correspondent.) CONSTANTINOPLE, April 9. It is generally conceded by all those who have visited its shores that there are few sights which can compete with that of the Bosphorus on a fine day. The beauty which nature has so lavishly bestowed upon it does not require the accessory of art;ficial display to set off its magnificence; bat when an occasion presents itself which makes it the scene of a State ceremonial—when to its na. tural charms are added the gorgeous and glittering display which attends the movement and progress of Royalty with all its Oriental ostentation and attri butes, it becomes a spectacle which once seen is never to be forgotten. Such a scene presented itself on Friday last, the day of the Sultan's departure. The sun shone bright and warm upon the expectant crowds who were waiting on every available point affording a view of the Golden Horn to see the em bareation of the Sultan. Of these the greater pro portion consisted of Turkish women, who, on such occasions, show more eagerness and curiosity than the 'male portion of the population. They gathered themselves together in great numbers, disposing themselves, as is usual with them, in semicircular rows, presenting the appearance of an amphitheatre fringed with the most gaudy colours of the rain bow. Below them, at their feet as it were, the quays at Tophane, Beshiktash, and Ortakoi, at the Seraglio Point, and those of the opposite shore at Scutari, were lined with all the troops which the capital could dispose of, all resplendent with new clothes and new arms. The clear blue waters of the Bosphorus swarmed with caiques freighted with Lager sightseers. Not a ripple disturbed its surface. The air was embalmed with the sweet odours of early spring wafted from t h e b eautiful gardens of the Asiatic shore. The Imperial ships which were to form part of the escort were lying in close vicinity to the Palace of Dolma.bagche, and foremost of all was to be seen the splendid yacht which had been presented to the Sultan by the Pasha of Egypt, and which has been selected to convey the Sultan to his destination. At 3 o'clock the Sultan descended the Palace steps into his State caique, and proceeded amid the booming of cannon from the land batteries and the shipping on board his yacht. His countenance seemed to glow with plea surable excitement, and it is said that his joy at thus breaking loose from his bonds and leaving his capital for the first time partook of a childlike de light and exultation—a startling manifestation in an Oriental and the ruler of a vast empire. As the Sultan entered his caique some dismal shrieks were heard proceeding from the Palace, and, in explana tion, people were informed that they were caused by the real or feigned agony of mind which his depar ture caused among the fair members of his house hold, and which, according to Oriental practices found vent in loud and bitter lamentation. Every thing was ready for departure when the State caique of the British embassy shot through the hundreds of humblercraft which crowded the water and made fast alongside of the Imperial yacht, and the British ambassador, accompanied by two attaches, went on board. This created some sur prise, as it was known that a week before Sir H. Bulwer had a private audience of the Sultan, and the circumstance was immediately seized upon by the idlers and wonder-mongers among the multi tude and made the subject of the wildest conjecture as to the objeot of the unexpected visit, and the importance which it might portend. It seems that this proceeding has produced among the other mem bers of the diplomatic body a certain amount of vexation, and has been represented as an attempt on his part to steal a march, so to speak, over them. It now forms the subject of eager dis cussion and comment, especially among the less exalted members of the craft, to whom in the ab sence of more serious occupation, and in vindication of their injured greatness, it affords a fine opportu nity to split straws on diplomatic etiquette, than which there is not a more persistent or more nau seous subject of conversation in Pera society. I understand that the Ambassador dislaims any pre conceived intention to see the Sultan , that his ob ject was to visit Fuad Pasha, who was on board the yacht, and that the Sultan hearing he was on board desired to see him. It would have been easy, certainly, to foresee that this would happen, but I am not sufficiently versed on the subject to determine the rights of the question. Sir Henry Bulwer remained half an hour on board, and immediately on his departure the Feizi-Gehad, closely followed by the Medjidieh frigate, having on board the Imperial Princes and their suite, and the other ships forming the Imperial cortege, steamed out of the harbour amid cheers, manning of yards, and deafening detonations of the artillery. The first halt in the Imperial progress was to be made at Gallipoli, and the sight of this, the first specimen of a town in his dominions which the Sultan will behold, is not likely to impress him favourably. The squadron will then proceed to Alexandria, and after a stay of some days in Egypt the Sultan will return, halting at Candia, Rhodes, and Smyrna, to which several places it is his present intention to devote a few days. The intelligence which has just been received here of the visit of Prince Napoleon to Egypt, which is likely to take place during the sojourn of the Sultan in that province, throws some light on the eagerness which the French Ambassador is understood to have manifested in favour of the Sultan's voyage. There is no doubt that the object in view has reference to the interests of the Isthmus of Stu z Canal. It seems that, in consequence of the opposition which is being actively carried on here, in which the Viceroy on his visit to the capital was understood so strongly to have participated, a cer tain amount of pressure, bordering closely on intimidation, has been brought vs bear on the Pasha by the French agents in Egypt; and that, notwithstanding the instructions which have been transmitted to him from here, he shows a disposition to yield, in alarm of French influence. Ismail Pasha since his accession has not shown that firmness of disposition and resolve or that eagerness for reform for which he got credit before he succeeded to power. It has often been said that no reliable estimate of th e character of a Turk can be formed until he is in cffice, and the general belief is that this must be considered as a case illustrative of that saying. When all these things are taken int o consideration there is every reason to believe that a great stirr will be made by France, while yet the Sultan is on the scene of the disputed grant, to bring about a favour able termination of the affair, and although every thing which relates to it is now kept in SE crecy, the time is rapidly approaching when it be come the th eme of will again public discussion and of political negotiation. N otwithstanding the mystery with which the affair has been clothed, it has transpired that immediately before the departure of the Sultan a special meeting of all the Ministers was convened, at which the Shiek-ul-Islam was desired to be pre sent. His attendance at the council shows in a marked manner the importance with which the question is invested in the eyes of the Turkish Go vernment. The question was put by the Minis ter for Foreign Affairs, whether, supposing the two Governments of France and England were agreed on the subject, it would be advisable to sanction the proceedings now adopted; and the unanimous decision of the Council was that under no circumstances would the Government be justified in ratifying a grant which, as it now stands, cannot be loJked upon but as disadvantageous and danger ous to Turkish interests. The decision of the Council, with further instructions, was accordingly trans mitted to Egypt ; and it is affirmed that the Sultan has determined, under plea that his visit to the Viceroy is one of friendship and goodwill, and has no reference io political considerations, to abstain from entering into the question during his visit, and to resist any suggestion made to him to visit the works of the canal. Under the guidance of the promoters of the Im perial Bank, which is soon to commence operations, and with the anticipated assistance of the loan which has been lately concluded, the Turkish Go vernment is actively engaged in putting the finances into something like order; and, if this desirable c onsummation is to be achieved, it can only be effected by means of the constant and unremitting exertions and energy which the bank are triagi ng founders of the to bear towards the improvement of the financial system of Turkey. In applying for and obtaining a concession for a national bank it would seem that these eminent financiers, while keeping in view the advantageats investment of their capital, have not lost sight of the obligation of bestowing corresponding advantages on the Turkish Government in regard to a proper admi nistration of the resources of the country. They insisted upon and obtained such conditions asj enable them to investigate in the most scrupulous manner the actual state of the revenue and the defective manner in which it has hitherto been ad. ministered. Gradually the Turks have been yield- !ng to the persuasion which was brought to bear upon them, and they now show every disposition to disclose the actual state of their affairs, a process which wa.s interrupted by the sudden recall of Mr. Foster to England, where the services of this much gifted economist were urgently required by his own Government. It seems that with a judicious em ployment of the new loan they may be able to con solidate their home debt and to be in readiness to start fair by the time that the Imperial Bank commences its functions. It was with this view that the promoters in Paris, in connection with the Ottoman Bank in London, have been anxious to provide them with sufficient means to enab,e them to act independently of the local bankers, whose usurious mode of business will be consider ably diminished, if not totally wreeked, by the establishment of this institution. MOibover, by coming forward at such a moment of need to relieve the Turkish Government of their difficulties they establish a claire , not only to advise them in future, but also to regulate their financial organisation on principles more in accordance with a European sys tem. IN hen this objecti, once accomplished, an d bearing in view the distinct stipulations of the con vention for the bank, which prevides that the latter will " in all things act as the financial agents of the Government, and receive the revenue," there is fair reason to think that the bank will be able so far to control the Government in matters of expenditure and accounts as to prevent the recurrence of the old system of irresponsible administration, and the hopeless chaos into which the Tnrkish Treasury was plunged. There are elements of prosperity in the country which even a long course of corrupt and iniquitous management has not suc ceeded in exhausting. I have previously pointed out the increase which has declared itself in the Customs' revenue ; and, although I then stated that this must not be interpreted as implying increased prosperity, but rather increased taxation, I have since ascertained, in the most positive manner, that the Custom-house receipts exceed by 80 per cent. those of the previous year; and, as this increase con siderably exceeds the proportion of the additional imposts which have been created, it is reasonable to infer that the present augmentation betokens, on the whole, a wholesome extension of legitimate trade and commercial prosperity. The tithes also—which up to the present were disposed of at a ruinous sacrifice by being generally made over at a nominal price to Armenian and Greek bankers in satisfac tion of pressing demands, or as a guarantee for temporary loans in moments of financial destitu tion —are now submitted to competitive sales ex tending over many days ; and the obvious conse quence is that in all cases they have this year, and under this wholesome system, been disposed of at double the price previously obtained for them, and in some of them at three or four times their previ ous value. If, therefore, the moral ascendancy which has been obtained over Turkish administra tors by the promoters of the bank has contributed to bring forth such healthy indications before the establishment of that institution, it is reasonably to be expected that when it has commenced its functions, and can bring into force the stringent regulations and conditions of the convention, which will give it considerable power over the Trea sury, its influence for good will be considerably augmented ; and if it perseveres in the energetic course of which such favourable indications already show themselves, it would not be surprising if we were to witness a new era in Turkish financial ad ministration. These are the opinions of serious and thinking men who have given considerable atten tion to the subject, who for some time had given up as hopeless all idea of financial regeneration, and whose great integrity and perfect independence place them out of the reach of any insinuation of partiality towards the Turkish Government. It is said that on its establishment the Bank will take the lead in encouraging such legitimate enterprises as may benefit the country. lam informed that its interest and influence will, in the first instance, be directed to the concession of the long talked-of Adrianople Railway, the opening up of which com munication will be a source of incalculable benefit to the country and of fair remuneration to in vestors. Alleged Wilful Destruction of a Ship, On Saturday Alfred Grayston, late captain of the ship Earl of Derby, of 1,080 tons register, and James Anderson, who was carpenter on board the ship, were brought before Mr. Raffles, on a charge of having wilfully attempted to cast away and destroy the ship. The prisoners were brought up under a warrant by Inspector Carlisle. Mr. MacCulloch, instructed by Messrs. Lowndes, Bateson, Lowndes, and Robinson, appeared to prosecute, on behalf of the underwriters, and Mr. Cobb defended both prisoners. From the statement of Mr. MacCulloch, it appeared that on 25th November last the ship Earl of Derby, owned by Mr. M. J. Wilson, of Liverpool, left Greenock for Melbourne, and on going down the Clyde encountered heavy weather, which induced the captain to put into Lamlash Bay, where tne vessel lay for a short period and proceeded on her voyage. On the 29th, in consequence of making a good deal of water, she was taken to Rathlin Bay. Here a conversation was overheard by the mate and more than one of the crew, between the captain and carpenter, in which the captain said " It will never do to take this ship back to Liverpool." The captain, seeing that one of the crew was within hearing, shifted—and signalled to the carpenter to do the same—to the other side of the ship. Soon after this the captain and mate were in the cabin, and the carpenter was observed to leave the vicinity of the cabin with an auger, a gouge, and a hammer in his possession, and go into the fore castle. The carpenter was there about two hours, when he was observed by some of the crew return ing and seemingly attempting to conceal the tools. The captain asked the carpenter, '' Does it run ?', and The shipthe latter said, " Yes, f as t enoug h." was then put into Ennisbeaken Bay, on the Irish coast, where she was brought to an anchor. The captain then ordered the whisky in double rations to be served to the crew, although the ship was avowedly sailing under total abstinence principles. The men wished to go to the pumps, but the captain prevented them from doing so. Soon after this the captain and all the crew left the vessel still at anchor in the bay. Next morn ing, she was seen drifting out to sea. After wards she was picked up by some fisher a men, and eventually beache d. When examined, a large hole, such as would be ma v d e e ss b e y l, just n under augur, was found in the fore part of the the water-line. When the ship was o the beach, and in the a b sence o f th e ca ptain andviilaii crew, 'a fire broke out on board the ship, and she was much injured, a l t h ough not so much as to b e to t a lly de stroyed, as it was at one time feared she would be. She was afterwards taken round to Liverpool, where she was repaired. The only witness exa mined was Duncan Macmillan, an able-bodied sea man, who, in his evidence corroborated the main features of the above statement. The case was then adjourned, in order to allow of further evidence being adduced. [A.DVERTISEMENT.]-11olloway's Pills.—Source of Happiness.—Good health is the foundation of happiness, and should be secured at any cost. Multitudes may cure themselves at a trifling expense by purchasing Holloway's Pills and using them according to the printed directions folded round each box. Loss of appetite. indigestion, and all the many forms which dyspepsia assumes are com pletely cured by these pills, which act as alteratives upon the stomach and liver, and soothing, gentle, yet efficient aperients on the bowels. They are not drastic pugatives, and do not give pain. All dyspeptic readers should know that they have not done all that might be done to re-esta blish a happy existence un!ei,s they la , ,ve tried Holloway'. digestive and purifying Pills, TEL SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, APRIL 10, 1863. LAW INTELLIGENCE.-April 18. COURT OF QUEEN'S BENCH. Sittings in Banco.—(Before Lord Chief Justice Cockburn, 3ustices Crompton, Blackburn, and Mellor.) COE V. WISE, CLERK TO THE MID-LEVEL DRAINAGE salvation of man and the glory of God, called upon them to increase the circulation by five times what it was on the publication of the Prince Consort letters. Mr. Pratt treated it as a matter of business—of a stimulating character, and likely to produce its effect on those reading the appeals. The Lord Chief Justice—One looks after the spiritual element, and the other the commercial. (Laughter.) Mr. Bovill then referred to the letters of the subscribers, some with names and others with initials attached to them. One was an " Old Soldier," and some little ridicule was thrown on the probability that plaintiff was the " old soldier." (Laughter.) The Lord Chief Justice said if it had been only ridicule he should have gone along with the learned counsel. Mr. Bovill—lt was suggested that the old soldier was fictitious. The Lord Chief Justice said it was not only so, but it also wohbijlee putting forward to ct of contributing, the e c tl y public charged the great r e a t that a tnhde importantplaintiff, subscribing, and of using every possible effort to convert the Chinese to Christianity, was guilty of gross imposture ; that his whole object was not to effect what he professed Ito have in view, but simply to obtain money by the circula tion of his paper. and that with a view to promote that end he pretended that he had received communications from individuals who were entirely fictitious and imaginary, and had no existence but in his own brain; and that he Put down names and subscriptions which professed to be a subscription list. He could not help thinking that it was a charge of direct swindling and obtaining money under false pretences Mr. Justice Crompton said it was not a criticism on the work, but a direct charge of crime. Mr. Bovill then referred to the remarks of the writer on the subscription list, and his allusion to their existence like Mrs. Harris and Sirey Gamp. The Lord Chief Justice said it was a very iungent and cleverly written article. Mr. Justice Crompton said the writer had a perfect right to ridicule the matter, or if he makes personal imputation s he must show that it was privileged, or that it was true, which had not been. The Lord Chief Justice said that, however much the plaintiff's conduct was open to criticism, it was impossible the moment he appeared in the witness-box to doubt his honesty, and that he and those connected with him were enthusiasts in the matter. After some considerable discussion, The Lord Chief Justice said there should be no rule. The article was unquestionably a libel. It imputed to the plaintiff that he put forward the great and sacred cause of the dissemination of religious truth amongst the heathen to put money into his pocket, and that he was acting as an impostor. The other learned judges concurred. Rule refused. Mr. Bovill said the jury found that the article was written under the bona fide belief that the charges was true. Here was a subject brought before the public by Dr. Campbell in his own newspaper, and he asked the public to tax themselves for the purpose of supporting certain objects. Another paper attacked them, and said that instead of doing it for the purpose of the salvation of four hundred millions of Chinese, he did it for the purpose cf putting money into his pocket. The question was, had the Saturday Review a right to make such a comment. The Lord Chief Justice said it must not be assumed that the jury only gave the damages on that point. He was obliged to tell the jury that if they did not consider the articles privileged both the charges were libellous. It must be taken that the damages were given for both charges. Mr. Bovill said he was entitled to a rule if he could show that the verdict was wrong on either point. This was a matter that had been brought before the public by the plaintiff, and was open to public criticism. The Lord Chief Justice—Most certainly, if fair and proper. Mr. Bovill contended that the moment it was shown that an article was privileged, it became necessary to show ex press malice. Mr. Justice Crompton said it was a mistake to speak of a newspaper being privileged. The editor of a newspaper had no different privilege from any other of her Majesty's subjects. He certainly was not privileged to make charges of dishonesty. He thought the jury had very properly found the article libellous. Mr. Justice Blackburn—To make privileged you must assume it is libellous. Mr. Bovill read that portion of the article which referred to the subscription list and the " Old Soldier," and said there was a great deal of banter about it. The Lord Chief Justice said he did not know that an imputation was the less painful or effective when put in the shape of a banter. It was a laughing way of putting it to say, " So many copies for the ' Old Soldier.' We know who the old soldier is;" but it was none the less libellous. Mr. Justice Mellor—You admit it is a libel. Mr. Bovill—The jury have found it so. (Laughter.) The Lord Chief Justice said a public man's public cha racter might be criticised, and the accuracy of the judgment questioned, but his private reputation must not be attacked, or base motives attributed to his acts. Mr. Bovill said he should contend that it might, so long as it was connected with the subject matter under discussion. Was not this such a case as would render it necessary for the public interest that the matter should be brought for ward to prevent the public from being mulcted of their money ? The learned counsel proceeded to argue that this case stood in the same position as giving a character to a servant, and a parson stating that the servant was dishonest was not actionable if he made the statement in the honest bona fide belief that it was true. Mr. Justice Crompton said that a man giving an answer to a question was a very different thing from publishing the charge in an advertisement. Mr. Bovill said he could not perceive a more important object than that of informing persons that the money was wanted for one purpose when it was wanted for another. ___ The Lord Chief Justice—Why did you not justify, and ask the jury to come to your opinion? Mr. Bovill further urged that it was to the interest of the public that these criticisms should be published. . The Lord Chief Justice said he believed that the great security to public conduct was the high sense of public honour and honesty of our public men, and he believed that it they were to deal lightly with it, and allow them to be attacked by persons who entertained adverse views, and to be dragged into the mire, more mischief than good would result from such a latitude being permitted them. Mr. Bovil said that might be so as a matter of policy. The Lord Chief Justice—But you say that it is to the interests of society that it should be so. Mr. Bovill then proceeded to quote several cases of libel tried within the last few years in the Courts of Common Pleas and Exchequer, especially th e case o f P ar i s v . th e Daily lelegraph, and the opinions of th e l earne d j u d ges on the law of lib e l, which, he urged, were favourable to his view of this case. The Lord Chief Justice said the great question in those cases was, whether it was or was not a fair com ment. It was the first time that they had heard that in such cases there should be proof of express malice. A fair comment was, to use a familiar term, privileged; but if a comment carried with it a wicked assumption that the con duct was one of great turpitude, then it was a libel. The moment an imputation was made it became libellous, and required a justification. Mr. Bovill said that if a man honestly believed it he had a right to publish it, and let the great man stand upon his character. There was no question of truth or falsehood in a case of privilege. The observation that Dr. Cathpbell's in tention was to put money into his own pocket was a fair comment. Mr. Justice Crompton said he had no wish to see the liberty of the press diminished in the slightest degree. Per sons might express their opinions upon the charges of judges, bishops, or decisions of magistrates, and they might say they were foolish and ridiculous, but they must not say that they acted from corrupt motives or had received a bribe. The Lord Chief Justice—l am of opinion that there should be no rule. The article upon which this action is brought is, unquestionably, libellous. It imputes that the plaintiff, in putting forward the great and sacred cause of the dissemination of religious truth among the heathen, was acting as an impostor, his sole motive being to put non? , into his own pocket. It charges him with publish ing, in his newspaper, as genuine, a fictitious correspon dence, addressed to him by imaginary persons, and the publi cation of a fictitious subscription list. It is said that inas much as the plaintiff put forward this public object in a pub lic newspaper, addressing himself to the public at large on a matter of not only public but universal interest, he was open to public comment, and in that proposition I en tirely concur. If his scheme was fraudulent and dispro. portioned to the object he proposed to have in view, it was fit for comment and was within the scope of fair cri ticism ; but it seems to me the lino must be drawn be tween hostile criticism, between a man's public conduct and the motives by which he was actuated ; and you have no right to impute base, sordid, dishonest, and wicked mo tives, It turns out that this imputation was most undoubt edly without foundation. It may have been that Dr. Camp bell, in addition to the religious enthusiasm and zeal that actuated him, may not have been altogether insensible to the collateral object of promoting the circulation of his weekly publication, but there is no foundation for saying that it assumed on his part the character of imposture, or that he had resorted to a fraudulent and false device to induce the public to contribute towards it. That being so, Mr. Bovill was obliged to take his stand on narrower ground. lie says that because the writer had a belief that it was true, then he was justified. I cannot subscribe to that. You have a perfect right to canvass a man's public conduct, to say that it was foolish and absurd, and that the effect of the subscription which Dr. Campbell was asking the public to contribute was to put money into his pocket; but when you g o b eyond and state that he is actuated by a desire of putti ng money into his own pocket, and that he resorts to fraudule n t expedien t s to do so, you are charging him with positive dishonesty. The doctrine cannot be pushed further than a full right to comment in the true spirit of criticism. It is said that it is for the interest of society that men's public conduct should be criticised; true, but on the ocher hand, it seems to me that we all have an equal interest i n the maintenance of public character, without which public affairs never could be conducted with a view to the public welfare a nd we ought not to sanction attacks upon public men de ' structive to their character and I honour, unless they can be proved to be true. I therefoie I think that no rule ought to be granted. The other judges gave similar opinions. Rule refused I accordingly. COMMISSION. This was an action to recover compensation in damages for injuries received by the bursting of the sluice of the mid-level, brought against the clerk (as representing the Commissioners) for negligence in not making and maintain ing the works in a proper and efficient manner. The action was tried at Norfolk before Lord Chief Justice Erle, when three out of the four issues left to the jury were found for the plaintiff. The middle level consists of a por tion of the great level of the fens known as the Great Bed ford Level, and among the many great improvements in that district during the past century was this drain, which was constructed by commissioners under the provisions of a special Act of Pariiament, and the object of the middle level was to drain the upland waters and the sluice in question was to prevent the influx of the tidal waters into the drain, so as to overflow and submerge the lands which were below the level of the sea at high water. The circumstances of the overflow have been fully described in the particulars published at the time, !Jut in order to make the application intelligible we give a narrative of the accident. In order to get rid of the drainage that for a long time used to fall into the river Ouse, it was resolved to cut a straight drain eleven miles in length through the country known as Marsh Land, from Popham's Eau to the Marsh land sluice, running into the Ouse, and for that purpose an act of parliament called the Middle Level Drainage Act, 7th and Bth Vic., c. 106, was obtained, giving the commissioners power to enter upon the marshland and make the cut re . . . quired, imposing at the same time on the ^ commissioners duties both onerous and difficult. By the act, full direc tions were given as to the mode in which the cut was to be made, and the banks, the puddled clay walls, and the fences were to be kept up and maintained, but a good and sub stantial sluice was to be made at the end of the cut next the River Ouse, which is a tidal river. The sluice was built between 1844 and 1846, consisting of a kind of three arch bridge, each arch being stopped with double sluice doors opening and shutting with the advancing and receding tide. On each side of this bridge the banks sloped gradually down to the bed of the river, which at the highest tide rose to about 18 feet. Between the 22d and 26th of March, 1862, one hole—though one witness said there were two holes— was discovered on the west side of the banks shutting out the waters of the Ouse 15 feet deep and font feet wide, the appearance of which betokened approaching danger, and to fill up which with stones and straw sundry efforts were made, as it appeared, in vain, for on the 4th of May the sluice was utterly destroyed, and on the 12th of May 6,000 acres of land were submerged, the crops destroyed, and their fertility seriously injured. Sir Fitzroy Kelly (with whom were Mr. O'Malley, Q.C., Mr. Metcalfe, and Mr. Newton) moved by leave reserved for a rule calling upon the plaintiff to show cause why the verdict should not be set aside and entered for the defendant, or, in the alternative. for a new trial on the ground of misdirection, and that the verdict was against evidence. The aciion was brought to recover damages for the alleged negligence that had been committed by the officers, agents, or servants of the com missioners in respect of the making and maintaining these works. From some cause which had not even yet been dis covered, the accident complained of occurred, and injured to a great extent more than 100 owners and occupiers of land in the neighbourhood, and this was one of more than 100 actions that had been brought against the commis sioners, and showed the great importance of the case to them. Before he detailed the precise charges of negligence made against the commissioners the learned counsel con tended that the action was not maintainable. Secs. 137, 138, 237, and the sections immediately following of the 7 and 8 Vic. cap. 106 were the important sections relied on. The commissioners consisted of certain proprietors of lands within the Great Bedford Level district, and were consti tuted a body corporate for the purpose of executing and maintaining those works. They were an unpaid public body, having certain compulsory public duties to discharge, and with limited funds at their disposal. The duties to be performed by the commisioners could not be personally discharged by them, and could only be performed by the agency of engineers, contractors, &c., and he submitted that such a body was not liable to an action for the negli gence of the servants, or any one acting under them. That principle of the law would have been clear had it not been for the recent inroads that had been made in the case that had been supposed to have decided it, The commissioners were taken from the landowners of the district, and at the time of the accident they were not a corporate body, but had been made so since. The plaintiff was suing the whole as a body, and if any execution issued against them for damages it would not go against their personal property, but against the property of the board, which was exceed ingly small as their borrowing powers were exhausted. The Lord Chief Justice said he thought the learned counsel ought to have a rule on that point. Sir Fitzroy Kelly said he hoped before the case came on for argument that the law would be decided in the cases now before the House of Lords. The negligence complained of was that the commissioners had failed to do or could have done certain things that would have prevented the accident. In answer to that he said the works were executed under the directions of Mr. Walker, the eminent engineer, though the plaintiff had contended that he was incompetent, and that the sluice and the banks had accomplished the object for which they were intended from the time of their construction till the accident, a period of 16 years. The second point relied upon by the plaintiff was that before the sluice was destroyed means might have been resorted to by the commissioners to preserve it, which they failed to do. Thirdly, that after the sluice was destroyed they failed to adopt the necessary means for shutting out the tidal waters, and prevent the inundation; and the fourth point of negli gence was in not puddling the hanks, &c., with clay, to pre vent the tidal waters from oozing through. The Lord Chief Justice, in summing up, said it was but mere conjecture what was the cause of the gates giving way ; but he (Sir F. Kelly) considered the rational conjecture was that the tidal water, by the gradual working and undermining of the banks, had passed underneath and around the right wine of the sluice, and by a sudden and irresistible pressure had raised it up and destroyed it. The learned counsel then at considerable length entered into the facts and the evidence given at the trial on behalf of the defendants, which, he con tended, showed that every care and skill had been used in constructing and maintaining the sluice, and that, after the accident they did everything that skill and science could devise to mitigate the evils resulting from inundation. The Lord Chief Justice asked what issue the jury found for the defendant ? Sir F. Kelly said they found there was no want of skill and care in the original construction of the sluice. The Lord Chief Justice said the Court were of opinion that the learned counsel must have a rule on the points of law, but that with regard to the other points they would consult Lord Chief Justice Erle before giving any decision. CAMPBELL V. SP OTTISWOODE-LIBEL AGAINST THE " SATURDAY REVIEW." Mr. Bovill, Q.C., said this was an action brought against the Saturday Review for libel, and tried before the Lord Chief Justice at Guildhall, when the jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff, damages £5O. He moved on behalf of the defendant for a rule calling upon the plaintiff to show cause why the verdict should not be set aside and entered for the defendant, pursuant to leave reserved, or for a new trial on the ground of misdirection, The two grounds, however, resulted substantially to the same thing. The plaintiff is a nonconformist minister, holding an appoint•. ment in Moorfields, though he had ceased to officiate, and now devoted himself to literature, and earned his living by editing and contributing to the British Ensign and the British Standard, and writing for other publications. The jury in returning their verdict said specially that they be lieved the editor wrote the article complained of in the honest, genuine, and bona fide belief that what he wrote was correct. The plaintiff was the proprietor, in partnership with Mr. Pratt, of the two papers above named, and some years before the subject-matter in dispute he published in them a Belies of letters addressed to the late Prince Consort with reference to H.R.H. the Prince of Wales, in which he stated, and no doubt entertained, the sincere conviction that great danger was to be apprehended from hia royal high ness's visit to Canada of his becoming a Roman Catholic, from his being placed in communication with certain parties there, and of his becoming an infidel from his going to Ox ,rd University. (Laughter.) The Lord Chief Justice —And also from his visiting Rome. (Laughter.) Mr. Bovill—Yes. The plaintiff in his cross-examination had shown that he addressed those letters to the British public in all sincerity, and that they had the effect of in creasing the circulation of the paper 100,000 copies, and the way be acted was to call upon those who entertained similar views to subscribe for the gratuitous circulation of copies. Having been so successful with the Prince Con sort's letters he entered on a new subject in the autumn of 1861, that of the salvation of the Chinese—(laughter)—by the publication of a series of letters in the Ensign and Standard, and he called on the public in the most solemn manner to participate in attaining that end by subscribing towards the gratuitous circulation of the two papers. Mr. Justice Mellor—Were they for circulation amongst the Chinese ? (Laughter ) Mr. Bovill—No. The letters were written in English— but to increase the circulation. The Lord Chief Justice said the learned counsel had not put it quite fair towards the plaintiff. The circulation was to be the means by which the solemn object was to be achieved. It struck one as absurd that these letters were to stir up the community, and to stimulate them into active exertion for the conversion of the Chinese, and it brought down a fair amo un t o f ridicule from the writer of the article complained of. If he had stopped there no one could have blamed him, but he had gone further. Mr. Bovill—And, as the writer humorously observed, " all at the low charge of one penny." (Laughter.) The plaintiff was not in the position of a private gentleman en tertaining those views, but as one who, by publishing them had called attention to them. The plaintiff in his letters had called attention to the importance of subscribing, and in . many of th em h e requested that the subscriptions should b e forwarded to his esteemed p u bli sher (Mr. Pratt, who was in partnership with hi m ) . He addressed his readers as the friends of truth as it is in Jesus, and after speaking of the SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS. SATURDAY REVIEW.—The unanimity with which the Poles appear to have rejected the amnesty offered them by the Czar shows that there is much more strength in the adherents of the insurrection than 1 could have been expected. The revolution keeps gaining ground, and the successes of the insurgents are as yet unchequered by any signal disaster. The defeat of Langiewiez does not appear to have exer cised any material effect, and if he was not neces sary as a leader, the troops that shared his ruin were too few to affect the issue of the struggle. The Pope, too, is said to have openly espoused the cause of Poland, and the peasantry have begun to show their responsive zeal by burning the churches of the Eastern communion. The Poles will not own they are beaten, and think it worth while to fight on and risk life and property, in hopes of getting a very different result from that which the amnesty holds out to them. Impartial and distant critics must applaud their perseverance and admire their cou rage ; but they cannot view any insurrection hope fully which does not tend towards a definite and at tainable object. The Poles will not take peace and present security, and the chance that the Czar may give them as much political liberty as is good for them. They say the amnesty does nothing more than put them in the position which they occupied before the revolution began. They want much more than this—they want a separate national existence. It is this, they conceive, that the Western Powers de mand for them, and less than this would do them no good. They are now fighting, therefore, to be a dis tinct and a free people. Perhaps they would hardly in terms claim more than that the kingdom of Poland should be restored, and that all that was promised to that kingdom by the first Alexander should be granted to it by the second. But the restoration of the kingdom of Poland, as contemplated by the treaty of Vienna, is a sheer impossibility. The old Polish provinces, which were excluded from the kingdom, have east in their lot with the revolution when in adversity, and cannot be separated from the revolution if successful. They must go with the kingdom, and if they go with it they will swell the loss of the population subject to the pure des potism of the Czar up to a total of 12 millions. Russia will fight very hard before she agrees to this. But the existence of a kingdom forming part of the Russian Empire, and yet with different rights, different institutions, and different privileges from those possessed by the other inhabitants of the em pire, is an arrangement impossible on the face of it. The old kingdom of Poland had an army, and was promised a Budget of its own. It was to be governed by Russia, but to be apart from Russia. This could not last. Countless difficulties of management must necessarily arise, even if the Court of St. Petersburg were sincerely anxious all should go smoothly. SPECTATOR.— With no new man in the Commons the Government of Great Britain becomes that of Lord Palmerston, Earl Russell, and Mr. Gladstone —a working arrangement, no doubt, but not one which can endure, or which can be held to repre sent the multiform interests, opinions, and wants of the millions of governed. Sir George Grey is of no use, even when he can be induced to think, instead of acting as funnel for Sir Joshsa Jebb. Sir Chas. Wood, able as his friends believe him to be, is a source of weakness as long as he remains in his present office; and Mr. Milner Gibson restricts himself to particular subjects, as if statesmanship were a toil, or as if he accepted Lord Palmerston's impertinent application of the proverb ne sutor ultra crepidam to the whole class of manufacturing poli cians. There remains Mr. Cardwell, and Mr. Card well apparently loses himself in dreams of the happy days when silence was not his role, when Peelites were a party, and among them he was not last in rank. The Cabinet needs a third organ in the Lower House, and where is it to be obtained ? The " old hands" are either in power, or used up, or discredited, and the eye seeks in vain for a young man of the highest political class. The Whigs are paying the penalty of their contempt for new blood. In their own narrow circle they have not an untried man of obvious mark, not one of the calibre, for example, of Mr. Hardy on the Conservative side. There is no rising Russell, or Grey, or Cavendish, or Fitzwilliam, or Say mour, or Grosvenor, who would be accepted as a Minister without a start of surprise, and for years they have not made a suc cessful importation, unless indeed the member for Calne can be considered a source of strength. He is a strong man in his way, but not precisely of the grain out of which Cabinet Ministers are carved. Mr. Chichester Fortescue, Mr. Baring, Lord C. Paget, Mr. Fitzroy, Mr. B. Osborne, the list of the second-rate men is wearisome at once in its length and its total want of interest. The independent Liberals might furnish recruits, but a second im portation from that side might alienate the Conser vative reserve guard. Mr. Bright is out of the question, Mr. Cobden would not take office under a Palmerston Ministry, Mr. Forster is the determined friend of the North, and Mr. Stansfeld entertains avowed Mazzirian sympathies. The list is soon exhausted, and the speculator is driven back once more to the old, old circle. There is no strength to be had while the Whig leader is really supported by a Conservative party, and the Government must continue to depend, as it has done for 12 months, on the personal popularity of its chief. There are peers in plenty, and men of official habits, "experienced" privy councillors, and speakers of considerable force in debate; but statesmen are either not forthcom coming, or belong to the class of minds which Conservatives cannot endure. LONDON REVIEW.--On the whole the Budget is most satisfactory, in showing the stability of the revenue under very trying circumstances, and in the promise which the small reduction in the esti mates gives us of a return to the principles of economy. The reduction is not wholly trustworthy, since it is obtained not by diminishing our naval and military forces, but by a temporary abstinence from the purchase of stores. Yet it will probably be difficult for any Ministers to recur to the swollen votes of the past three years, and they will be driven to more permanent modes of economy. The stability of our revenue, however, affords unmixed satisfaction : in spite of the suspension of labour in Lancashire, and the destruction of half our trade with North America, the actual revenue of the past year has been £70,603,000, against an estimated revenue of £70,050,000; and the increase appears to be due to the development of the normal portion of the national income. During the past four years the revenue, exclusive of the accidental and remitted portions, has shown an annual increase of about £875,000. The actual expenditure of the last year has been £69,302,000, against an estimate of £70,108,000; whilst the total estimates for the cur rent year amount to £67,749,000. Even this sum shows an increase of expenditure (besides the charge for the National Debt) of more than five millions over the year 1858-9. The additions which Mr. Gladstone proposes to our sources of revenue are, in general, unimportant, though some of them will probably be hotly contested. Chicory has a bad name, and there has long been a tendency to equalise the duties on it and on coffee. The wis dom of such a course perhaps admits of a doubt ; and there is certainly one important difference be tween the two articles—that chicory is an article of home as well as of foreign manu facture, and the collection of duty upon it requires additional machinery. It is impossible to dispute the propriety of requiring clubs to take out a spirit license, and no one but a publican will object to the alteration of the beer licenses. The legislation which Mr. Gladstone proposes with respect to rail ways and charitable endowments admits of more discussion. Much of the existing legislation about railway companies is anomalous, because it is founded on the assumption that they enjoy a prac tical monopoly, and that the public require protec tion against their powers. If Mr. Gladstone carries out his proposal to levy a uniform duty on all pas senger trains, there will remain the existing obliga tion on railway companies to run one cheap train every day, and perhaps the companies may not unreasonably complain of the injustice of imposing the tax and preserving th e o bli ga ti on. A s for the charitable endowments, it is evident that Mr. Glad stone has not weighed all th e diffi cu lti es o f t h e question. EXAMINER —While every person who pays income tax will in future be chargeable at the rate of 7d. in the pound, as originally proposed by Sir It Peel in 1842, instead of 9d. in the pound as in recent years, a new system of graduated exemption is pro posed, applicable to incomes of from £lOO to £2OO a year. After battling long against the theory of graduation in general and in detail, Mr. Gladstone has at length yielded the principle ; and he now offers to make a beginning in that part of the scale of incomes where, as he says, there is the greatest pinch and pressure. Every man who earns two pounds a week is to be entitled to deduct £6O from his chargeable income, and to return himself as liable only to a payment upon £4O. The man who earns three pounds a week is to be charged by the tax-gatherer only upon £9O; and the man who earns four pounds a week in like manner to be charged upon £l4O, and no more. The reason for assuming this uniform basis of £6O exemption we have yet to learn ; and why the system of exemp tion is to pull up with a jerk at £2OO a-year, we do not undertake to explain. We shall doubtless hear a good deal upon the subject when it comes to be specifically taken into consideration ; and for the present, therefore, we may defer its discussion. Meanwhile we rejoice unfeignedly at the abandon ment of the superstitious adherence to a uniform rate of charge ea essential to the maintenance of tii& system of direct taxation., The great principle is at last and irrevocably conceded that cap,hility to en dure fiscal burthens is not measurable by one un merciful rule of simple per eentage, and henceforth we may hope that the duty of adapting the scaleof direct taxation to the circumstances of persons having next to ,nothing in common will be further acknowledged by the Legislature, until the blind, clumsy, and semi-barbarous method of dealing with the matter as a mere random sum in the Rule of Three shall be totally abandoned. Mr. Gladstone having to make a choice between tea and sugar duties, and between dealing with one of them or Loth in a less effective way, has exercised a sound judgment in striking 14 per cent. off the cost of tea rather than eight per cent. off that of sugar, or seek ing to evoke compliments for comprehensiveness by peddling with the two. The reduction of duty on this great staple of our Indian commerce, and chief item of household comfort and cheer to Is. in the pound, will be received universally as a real and tangible boon. The abated duty is only to be taken until August, 1864, by which time, if peace shall happily be preserved, Mr. Gladstone hints that we may possibly be in a condition further to reconsider the question in connection with the duties on sugar, regarding which certain negotia tions, chiefly on matters of subordinate detail, are now pending with other European States. But even though the remission should not be carried further, the community have good reason to be content. SOCIAL SCIENCE REVIEW.—We cannot pass without notice the death of the eminent scholar, politician, and social reformer, Sir George Corne wall Lewis. Of all the leading men of England, there is not one whom England could so ill have spared. Not brilliant in debate, not quick, or rather not hasty in perception, Sir George's real power was unseen on the surface of his work, but when he was met quietly and his well matured plans and convictions were discovered, the depth of his reason ing was easily detected, and the secret of that ster ling influence which he exercised was exposed. Sir George filled different offices in the State, but it was as Secretary of State for the Home Department that he played his best part. In this office his hu manity, his courtesy, his industry, his knowledge were each and all turned to the performance of his duties. As a scholar he was remarkable for his profound learning, and in his private life he was be loved by all who knew him, but by none so well as those who knew him best. ATHENAIIM.--Sir George Cornewall Lewis,whosc sudden death at the age of fifty-seven has taken the world of politics and society by surprise, was some thing more than a statesman among scholars and a scholar among statesmen. As author, editor, p r i v y councillor, and cabinet minister he was alike no ticeable. He was not, indeed, a first-class writer, for he lacked in a remarkable degree the delightful humour, the brightness and flow of fancy, the ori ginality, speciality, and sympathy which invest the few high priests of literature with power to charm. But he was an able man, of very large at tainments, logical, sound, sedate, uncompromis ing, capable of doing good service to truth, and also capable of wa i t i ng f or t h e li terar y rewards which, in cases like his, are s l ow t o come . There would be no use in saying that the late editor of the _Edinburgh. Review was a popular author. His writings won the respect, even where they failed to conquer the conviction, of scholars and authors ; but they were at best, too dry and abstruse, too solid and consecu tive, to please the su b scr ib ers o f a lib rary, an d t h e reading public, who heard him spoken of as one of the literary men of the Cabinet, knew him chiefly by name. Mr. Mudie was not troubled by many demands for The Astronomy of the Ancients' or the ' Enquiry into the Credibility of Early Roman History.' Yet, on the other hand, it may be safely foretold that these two books will be consulted by men of learning and ability when the trumpery of the day, which jostled them into corners out of sight, will be utterly unknown. All the works of their author had the dry quality which is invaluable in wine, but intolerable in books. That on ' The Origin of the Romance Languages' might have been made as interesting and as flimsy as a romance; but Sir George chose to make it as uninviting and as durable as a dictionary. Even in his political works, those on ' Local Disturbances and the Irish Church Question,' On the Use and Abuse of Political Terms," On the Influence of Authority in Matters of Opinion,' On the Government of Dependencies,' and 'on Meth o d s o f O bservst i on and Reason i ng in Politics,' ther e i s the same sol i dity, not to say heaviness, of treatment. The very titles of his volumes show how cl ose an attent i on h e ha d g i ven to politics as a science. Sir George had the genius which succeeds in public office better than in Albe marle -street or Paternoster-row. He could do any amount of work, sit up any number of hours, write any quantity of despatches. Everything that industry could accomplish he achieved; fame as a scholar, reputation as an administrator, stand ing as a statesman. These were victories to win, and they were all honestly won by the untiring exercise of faculties common to us all. In that fact lies the lesson of an honourable and successful life. LAW TIMES.—Mr. Commissioner Fonblanque has resigned his office as Commissioner in Bankruptcy, and retired into private life, carrying with him the respect and esteem of all connected with the court over which he has presided for so many years. No successor will be appointed, the Act having pro vided for a diminution in the number of commis sioners. It is, however, very doubtful whether the vast increase of work caused by the new law will not impose upon the judges who are to remain more labour than it will be possible for them to perform, even with the aid of the registrars, who now act judicially. THE READER.—On Thursday next, the 23d of April, there will be the usual celebration, p'iblic and private, in different parts of England, of the accepted anniversary of Shakespere's birthday. The Garrick Club is to hold its usual dinner on the day; we hear also of other Shakespearian club dinners in London in the same week — a t one of which Mr. Thackeray is to preside; and there are many Eng lish fami'ies that never let the 23d of April pass as an ordinary day. This year, too, there will be the special interest of looking forward to the 23d of April next year—which, as Shakespeare was born in 1654, will he the t recentary of h i s birthday. Already it is being considered, in various quarters, whether there should not be preparations for some national Shakesp ear i an d emonstrat i on on t h at occa sion, the centre of which should be Stratford-on- Avon. There are recollections of the old jubilees, when the Johnsons, the Garricks, and the Boswells took the trouble of going down to Warwickshire; and it is asked whether in these railway-days people will be less alert ? But, though the centre of the demonstration must be Stratford-on , Avon, there may be simultaneous celebrations in all towns. There is the precedent of the Burns Centenary of 1859 to supply hints. BRIGHTER PROSPECTS FOR THE Ass.—We are glad to see that an effort is being made to raise the ass from its present degraded condition into its proper posi tion ..among the domestic animals. Most European na tions, and especially Great Britain, have sadly failed in their duty towards this poor patient drudge. Not content with giving it only the scantiest and coarsest fare, its owners often overload and abuse it in the most inhuman fashion, without once imagining that they are guilty of a brutal act—though similar treatment of a horse would be considered the grossest cruelty. As the Jew was wont to be in Christendom a mark for jeer and scoff, and for every kind of indignity, so is the ass still among the beasts useful to man. Long years of neglect and savage usage has broken its spirits and deadened its intelligence ; but there can be no doubt that, under a more merciful rule, and a careful supervision as to breeding and feeding, its value to man would be very much enhanced. In its native East, the ass is quite a different looking animal from those miserable creatures which we see maltreated by ragamuffins on our streets, to whose tender mercies, indeed, the asses in this country are now almost entirely given over, being too much despised to be used by a better class of the community. It is melancholy to think that the animal ridden by kings, and princes, and proph e t s, which naturalists say possesses, originally, even a greater degree of intelligence than the horse, and which would seem to have been brought under man's dominion earlier than its larger rival, should with us have degenerated into a mere whipping-post for costermongers. In Arabia, Syria, and Persia, where th e ass is well cared for, it is a fleet, spirited, and for its siz e , a powerful animal, displaying none of that obstinacy which is regarded as the distinguish ing feature of the race in this country but which is really simply the result o f continual hardship and abuse. Far mers have paid far too little attention to the ass. There are many jobs about the farm which one or a couple of donkeys could perform to the saving of a horse; and as an ass could be bought for a tenth or a twentieth of the price of a good horse, and fed at a fourth of the expense —on the coarse herbage, indeed, which all other animals on the farm are too nice to taste—the balance in favour of keeping two, instead of an extra horse, would be something considerable. It is with pleasure, therefore, we notice that Mr. Gurney has offered no less than three prizes at the forthcoming show of the East Surrey Agri cultural Association for this hitherto so contumeliously treated beast ; and we trust that it will not be long before similar inducements are offered at other agricultural exhibitions. There can be no doubt that such premiums will stimulate competition and healthy emulation among breeders ; and will undoubtedly effect the improvement in the ass which has been secured in the case of the horse, the shorthorn, and the sheep. It is not to be expected that the ass will ever became so strong and fleet of foot as it is in Central Asia, our climate will scarcely admit of this ; but a few years under the auspices of the principal agricul tural societies would infallibly bring out merits which most of its owners dream not of.—Scottish Farmer. A ROMANTIC STORY. The Police of Portsmouth have during the past week been engaged in investigating a case as sin' gular as it is romantic. It appears that some fog years since a lieutenant in her Majesty's navy became enamoured of a fascinating actress, and eventually married her. The match, however, dis pleased his friends. The father of the lieutenant died a little more than a year ago, leaving a large amount of property to be divided amongst his children. In the event of the lieuten ant's death the wife would receive no benefit from the will, unless she had a child Or children, who would then take their father's share. Strange to re l. ite, the lieutenant died last October, leaving no issue. His wife was at this time residing with her late husband's friends in the neighbourhood of Logs don. Not long after she bad become a widow, Mrs• complained of being ill, and one day informed her mother-in- aw that she was enciente. At that time the family believed her statement, and every arrangement was made for her accouchement. Mrs. -- told her mother-in-law that she should visit her own mother, who resided at Portsmouth, which she did, mach against the wish of her husband's family, who tried to induce her to return to their residence, where it was previously arranged that she should remain until after her accouchement- The widow made various excuses when solicited to return, and so great was the anxiety of her mother in-law that she proceeded to Portsmouth, visited the widow, and strongly suspected that Mrs. story about being enciente was not true. Last week the deceased officer's mother again visited Ports' mouth and took lodgings there, determined, if pos sible, to learn the result of affairs. At 1 o'clock 00 Friday, tha Bth instant, Mrs. mother went to the deceased lieutenant's mother and informed her her daughter bad given birth to a child. " Who was the doctor ?" was the first question ; which elicited the reply, "There was no doctor present." The case thus became more suspicious, and the mother-in" law determined to sift the affair. A doctor wall called in, and he found the widow in bed, having with her a newly-born female infant. She refused all medical assistance, and would not allow the doctor to come near her, telling him, in answer to his questions, that she was quite well, and needed no medical aid. The late lieutenant's family determined to fully investigate the mat ter, and on Wednesday last had the following bill circulated throughout Portsmouth :—"I3 0 Reward—Whereas it is believed that a female child, born on the 9th instant, has been taken to a house in Church-path, Landport, for the pur' pose of being falsely represented as the child of a person living there, the above reward will be paid to any person who will give such information es will lead to the discovery of the mother, or the proof of the child having been so left. Information to be given to Mr. R. Barber, chief superintendent, Land" port Station." The result was that it was disco' vered that the lieutenant's widow, to secure the property left to her husband, had induced a young woman in poor circumstances, who was near her confinement, to reside near her, on the understand' ing that the newly-born babe was to,be transferred directly it was born from the real to the fictitious mother. Both parties were confronted, and the young woman confessed the plot, stating that YRS. bad promised to provide for the child, which , on its birth, was conveyed to her bed room, wher e she was in bed ready to receive it. The widovi to in receipt of a pension from Government, and the family of her late husband have, it is stated, ea' pressed their readiness to receive her again. COUNTRY MARKETS. .4 , NOTTINGHAM—SATURDAY. This corn market to-day was fairly supplied with whoa!' and the demand hardly so brisk, but the previous week! prices were made. The show of barley equal to the demanu* White wheat, from 43s to Ms ; red wheat, 42s to 4 9 „ ° ' Barley—malting, 36s to 40s ; grinding, 2 7s to 29 5. OaP old, at 25s to 31 s Od ; new , 22s to 275. Beans sold at N l° to 45s per qr. Flour, 31s to 40s. GRANTHAM—SATURDAY. New white wheat, 48s to 51s ; red, 45s to 48s per 36 01 ° ;. malting barley, 38s to 43s per qr ; grinding, 28s to S us P old oats, 23s to 26s ; beans, 35s to 38s ; peas, 34s to 375. NORWICH—SATURDAY. There was a good supply of wheat to-day, and ratb e : more disposition to purchase on the part of millers. Fri e e d . of last week for all the best qu a liti es were fully support Few samples of barley offering, and little doing, at forte"' prices. Beans, peas, and oats dull. White wheat. 45s to 46. 1 Red wheat 41s to 40 Malting barley ...38s to 40s 1 Chevalier barley 36s toos3lo .. 24F- to 0-- Distilling d 0... 33s to 35s I Oats.... Flour, 32s 6d to 33s Od per sack from the miller. Averages for the week : Wheat 2,316 qrs., at 44s 7d Rye — —s Od 736 Peas Oats 35 .. 31s Od YORK— SATURDAY. There was a tolerable supply of wheat to-day a t Olt market, but the demand was less active ; holders, howev er ; realised about late rates. Barley scarce, the malting 0 "; son being nearly over, and, with an inactive sale, Wilier rates were about supported. Oats firm. Beans in be tte request, and prices the turn higher. Wheat, red 40s to 44s Oats.... Whi . 29s do . to 36s Peas 408 Malt, 62s to 64s pe r qr . ; rye, 34 s per qr . ..; ..l fl 2o o B: ur ttto g oo Barley.. to 38s per sack. LE I CE STER—SAT URDAY. Old white wheat, 56s to 606; new, 48s to 549 pe t stone. Old red, , 4B s t o 52 s per 36 stone. Barley, Ilnai7to new, 36s to 40 8 p er qr.; grin di ng, 27 s t o 30 s ; o ld 26s to 29s ; new oats, 22s to 24s per 24 stone. 13 e''"" new, 36s to 38s ; rld, 42s to 448 per 38 stone. NORTHAMP TON—SATURDAY. New wheat, 45s to . 508; red, 42s to 465. Barley, ‘ , 2Bis fyi to 40s per qr. New oats quoted at 20s to 28,s ; old, * t o to 30s per 24 stone. Beans, old, 36s to 38s; new, 318 365. Peas, 33s to 44s per qr. Foreign Mail Packet List. MAILS DUE. 1 9 ' Au. ralia and Mauritius, via Southampton ..Mel 0. via Marseilles ... May 4 , Brazil and Cape Verds, by British packet. MaY 3. Cape of Good Hope, Ascension, and St. Helena., MO 4 . China, Penang, and Singapore, via Southampton. Mal 'O, via Marseilles ...Apr. 4 . Falkland Island 5 .., Gibraltar, via South ampton Apr. 0 India (Calcutt a ) , and Ceylon, via Southampton..MaY 0. -- via Marseilles .... APr' 0, India (Bombay), via South ampton Apr. a, 4 ' via Marseilles Apr. Portugal.... .‘" Malta, Egypt, and Aden, via Southampton Apr. 6, via Marseilles MaY. 2 9, Newfoundland .. Apr. Oporto and Vigo Apr' 9 3. U. S. and Briti s h N. A mer i ca , b y B r it. packet.... , 'by U.S. packet ,„,, by Canadian packet APr* 1 0. W.C. of Africa, Madeira, and Tenerifle Alai e i; Bahamas, via New York An . ' Mexico. .. ••••••••,- All parts of "West Indies, including Chili, Peru, 1 Apr. 0 California. and British Columbi a .. ..! Births. wife J. the 17th inst., at W e l w y n , H er t s , the W" „ " , J. T. Abdy, Esq., LL.D., of a daughter. „ th eir DIXON.—On the 17th inst., a t A r li ng t on L o dge, t' - 0 1 worth-common, the wife of Samuel Dixon, Esq. , son. LAWRENCE.—On the 16th inst., at 32, Gloucester-g- -- of - Hyde-park, the wife of Alfred Lawrence, Esq. , daughter. _Aelro TURNER.—On the 16th inst., at Duneas-terrace,Wool v° the wife of Colonel H. A. Turner, It A., of a sou. Marriages. c os , Vae s CLOSE—KRAENTLER.—On the 16th i ns t., a t St. u, r „a on* Piccadilly, captain F. A r d en Cl ose, R . N ., t o ll oo rit . second daughter of th e l a t e W . K raent l er, E sq ., O' wall-terrace, Regent's -park, and Strasbourg. u itbof WEIGHT—NEWTON .— On the 17th inst., at Oreen g oof John Weight, Esq., of Rosherville, and Mincing O. to Fanny M ears , e ld es t surviving daughter of VV I3I. Newton, Esq., Greenhithe, Kent. Deaths. . ii ncoei r t BOSWELL—On the 14th inst., at Ganallan, C I-1 7, 15 116 14 Ayrshire, John Douglas Boswell, Esq., of GI L ' . aged 62. 1 0 : 111 ‘Mynno.—On th e 17th i ns t., at Rosebank, - Richard Napier, sev e nth so n -F.lll ~--' of Colonel and isfrO• of M'Murdo, aged eight years. Vol' P • - SO - - 'ELLATT.—On the 17th inst., Apsley Pellatt, $) Staines, Middle sex , an d o f S tan b r id ges , Staple sex, aged 72. o' ll ' RICH.—On the 13th inst., at Horsham, Antho n y Esq., aged 94. e ta ROWDBN.—On the 17th inst., at The Chaatry, wohe the Rev. Geor ge Croke Rawdon, D.C.L aged j3e9: SMITH.—On the 18th hist, at Ivy House, HaeknlarA e " Franklin Smith, E sq ., o f N or f o lk L o dge, near and Wine. cffice-court, Fleet-street, aged 39. London : Printed and Published by WILLIADI ANDNo " of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at THE SUN OffiC e Ll o Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the giv`— , litiddlesex.—Monday, April 20, 1863.