The Sun. — London, England, 1863-09-09 00:00:00

LIFE AT BIARRITZ. (From the Times' Correspondent.) BIARRITZ, Sept. 5. The Empress and the Prince Imperial arrived here at 2 o'clock on Monday morning last. This early hour was chosen probably to spare the authorities the trouble of a formal reception, of addresses, and processions of young girls dressed in white strewing flowers and presenting bouquets. The three tri umphal arches,—one at the railroad terminus of St. Esprit, whi;;tt as a faubourg of Bayonne is now at tached to the Department of the Basses Pyrenees, the other at the village of Anglet, where the road turns off to Biarritz, and the third at its entrance, close to the Imperial residence, or as it is now called the Villa Eugenie,—were barely completed. All other display was dispensed with. The Mayor's proclamation, while informing the good people of Biarritz of the Empress's approaching visit, recommended them to refrain from any noisy de monstrations of loyalty, and otherwise to respect the retirement and repose of the august visitors, The Empress fee's nowhere more at home and more Sndependent in her movements than in this long, familiar spot. In every other place, whether at Fontainebleau, St. Cloud, or Compiegne, a certain degree of etiquette is observed which interferes more or less with freedom of action. At Biarritz it is not so. Their Majesties come hither to seek re pose, though not absolute solitude, and they live and move about pretty much as any of the people they see about them. You meet them any morning or evening walking about the streets, or strolling along the beach or on the slopes. Everybody treats them with respect, and nobody intrudes upon them. For the Empress it is her place of predilection. She frequented it in times gone by, when she certainly did not dream that she should one day wear the crown of France. Not a pass, a ruin, a glen, or a streamlet which is not familiar to her, and the pleasure with which she revisits them as Empress of the French is not less lively than when she knew them as simple Eugenie Montijo. The morning after her arrival she might be seen, accompanied by one or two attendants, walking about the town, or on the beach between the Imperial residence and the Port Vieux, the favourite resort of bathers. The villa is nearly at the water's edge, and stands on a terrace the.base of which at high tides is beaten by the sea. A very few years ago the piece of land at tached to it was but a sandy plain. It is now covered with verdure and shrubs ; is enclosed by wooden palisades, and is irrigated by means of small canals, which are fed from an artificial lake at a short dis tance. Biarritz itself, from an insignificant village some five-and-twenty years since, is become a re spectable town, and is every year growing larger. its lodging houses, hotels, and restaurants are good, and the prices by no means extravagant. You have the casino, with its coffee room, and its terrace where yon eat your ice, sip your coffee, smoke your cigar, read, loiter, or converse, while on breathe an atmosphere which is health itself ; or the theatre, with Levassor or some other Parisian favourite every night. You stroll through streets thronged with English, French, and Spaniards in every variety of cos tume, and all affording a scene of animation which cannot be surpassed anywhere. As it is just now the height of the season, Biarritz is crowded, and every day brings new visitors ; and where they all find room it is not easy to imagine. The carriages which ply between Bayonne and Biarritz keep up a perpetual movement. Spacious and handsome ; chars-a-bane, with accommodation for twenty per sons, omnibuses, with six insides and six out sides; D srrigrand's diligence 3 and neat caleehes, all admirably horsed, are available at moderate prices. B izaars displaying shawls,silks, rauslins, babouches, Turkish pipes, and whet in case of need passes for Latakia tobacco, reading rooms, gymnastics, the Spanish hawker with his blue velvet jacket orna mented with silver filigree buttons, his red sash round his waist, his head bound with a yellow silk handker chief, broad-shouldered, deep-chested, and carrying his immense pack of soft goods as lightly as if it were a cushion of down ; with a smile, a salute, and a com pliment for old and young,handsome and ill favoured, gentle and simple—in Spanish or Basque, French or Gascon—for it is all the same to him—are all at hand to minister to your taste. Juan Perez has not, it is true, made much progress in English. Whether he adopts Figaro's theory as to the root of the language I know not, but I suspect he is of opinion that " How do you do ?" and " Good bye" will enable him to faceevery emergency. If you are of a romantic turn, the Chamber d'Amour, with its touching legends, the curious cavern of Ustarits, the picturesque Cambo, Roland's Pass, the secluded valley of Itsatsou, Hasparren, Fontarabir, whose echoes repeated the doleful blast of the wild horn which announced to Charlemagne the death of his hero in Roncesvalles, the crags of San Marcial, with its votive chapel and ever burn ing lamp, commemorating the triumph of the Spanish army over the French during the great war of independence, the Nivelle, the Nive, the Adour—all are near at hand. There is another spot of a different character about half-an hour's drive, and which few quit this part of the country without visiting. I a:lude to the establishment known as the Refuge, which is di. rected by the religious community, the " Servantes de Marie," and that of the Bernardines, at a short advance from it, both in the commune of Anglet. The pleasant and picturesque village of Anglet stands close to the route from Bayonne to the Spanish frontier, at the angle where that of Biarritz begins. It is halfway between both towns. It was on the heights of Anglet that the English division was posted which commanded the high road to Spain during the preparations for creasing the Adour, and the blockade of Bayonne, in 1814. Its name occurs several times in the military de spatches of the period. On the sandy plain between Anglet and Biarritz the Refuge has arisen,as it were, by magic, by the energy of a single man. Some five and twenty years ago the Abbe Cestac, whose name has long since gained a well-merited celebrity throughout the Pyrenees, founded at Bayonne, to the Cathedral of which he was attached, an orphan a s yl um , th e di rec ti o n of which he confided t t ethe si s t er h oo d k nown as t h e S ervan t s of Mary. t . comprehensive benevolence was not content with this, tee opened a home for the unfortunate class c " . 7° 'al a desire to outcasts of society, who mani fested to abanc n their evil ways, and he placed therußordeaux an , a under the tele of Mlles repenties, at Toulouse i:lhouses belonging to the orphan as y lu m , In 1839 he bought out of his own resources, in th withi e most secluded tioe help from hi s f am ily, a spot of ground secluded part of the plain be tween Anglet and tiarri.tz. On thi s h e b u ilt s traw huts, and aided by hie hood of the Servants Bouiter, who joined the sister. th e ir superior, under th e t eaNary' and soon became „iv rn ork of Sister Magdalene, soil, and obtai n ed the th e Abbe Cestac set t o moat on the ungratef u l goodsiuccessful results. While engaged in this made the mark for every si r His acts sarcasm, he was were ascribed by scoffers to.the worst ea . oti and, even by those who knew his sin g i eniindeti v n e :; purity, to an over weenin g vanity, or to 11 fa ss ns_ ticism. He persisted through good rep ort and :, report, never turning aside from his object, and never once desponding. Not a garret, o r a cellar, where he knew that vice or misery lurked within the sphere of his ministry, but he visited. In littl e more than two years from its foundation the Refuge of Anglet sheltered near 200 young women rescued from vice, and lodged, fed, clothed, and taught to work. The Refuge now consists of 550, includ ing " Servants of Mary" and "Repenties." The cells are built of stone, but the straw hut which was the first habitation on the sands is still preserved. Every sort of neddie work is now done there, from the finest embroidery to the coarsest garments used by the peasants; and a marriage trousseau, valued it some hundreds of pounds, was completed last week. Certain articles of carpentry work a re d one b y t h e s i ster h oo d. Their farmhouse is well stocked with Breton eery, s,poultry, and pigs; they dairy is excellent, the butter is in great repute in the neighbourhood, and from this last article alone the Community received during the past year about £l5O. No me m b er o f th e Commu nity remains unemployed for a single moment of the ' day. Those who are not employed inmanual labour ate engaged in teaching the poor children of the neighbourhood. The funds derived from the sale of their produce, needlework, or tillage are spent in educating the poor, and in other work- of bene volence. The "Servantes de Marie" and " Re penties" are cloistered; the former fe life, the latter for whatever period they may think proper. The " Servantes de Marie" wear a light blue uniform, with the hood, veil, and rosary of the regular recluse. The " Repenties" have the blue gown, with a shawl marked with a large white cross; instead of the veil and hood they wear the handkerchief on the head, the same as that in com mon use among the Basque peasant women. Strangers visiting the establishment are received with courtesy by one of the sisterhood, and are offered such refreshments as the house can afford— excellent brown bread, delicious butter, wine, cheese, and eau sucree. They feel a pleasure in showing you the neat refectory, cowhouse, piggery, rabbit enclosures, garden, and cemetery. When one re calls to mind what that place was some 20 years ago, and sees what is now is, it is impossible not to feel the highest admiration for the founder. During their stay at Biarritz the Emperor and Empress oc casionally visit the Refuge, which, of course, dis plays its rustic triumphal arch, the Mayor of Biar ritz being a very devoted functionary. Their Ma jesties are received with the courtesy shown to every one. They invariably leave some marksof fo t r h g e e ir t bounty, and the sisterhood certainly do not them in their prayers. cas The order of the " Servantes de Marie" has spread the influence and exertions of the Abbe to with Eastern places in the wonderful rapidity. There a re few departments of the Low, H i g h, and Pyre nees, where there are not branch esof th it e rp;oanhdawn shel tered, ever the outcast is to be reclaimed , taught, h there a s s te t : r e e d t , o a fi n and d th a e m i g e n m o h r e a r n t o f t o b the e Community. of Spain, and g a o nd fro s m om et the t b h r e an s c is h t e e s re in w v e a re riou d s et p a r e o h v e l d nce n s ot parent establishment of Anglet to organise a house in Madrid. But this is not the only conventual society you meet on the sands of Anglet. About a quarter of an hour's drive from the Refuge you find a Commu nity under the rigid rule of St. Bernard. The Ber nardines pass their days in seclusion as complete as if they lived in the desert of Egypt. The sanction of the Pope for this establishment under the rule of St. Bernard was obtained in 1851 by the Abbe Cestac. The sisterhood spend their time in improv ing and tilling the soil, in prayer, and meditation. From that lonely spotfthe Bernardines have no view of the village of Anglet, of Biarritz, of the ocean which beats at the base of the sandhills in the dis tance, of the river, or the mountains. The straw cabins which they erected with their own hands in 1850 have since been replaced by ones partly of stone and party of earth. They transplanted a quantity of soil to the sands on which their huts stand, and on it they cultivate asparagus, cabba ges, maize, and even vines. Their dress consists of an ample gown of the coarsest wool undyed, to which is attached a hood ; from a rope tied round the waist depends a rosary, and on the shoulders is a large cross made of light blue stuff. When working in the fields during the heat of summer, they are allowed to wear a broad-brimmed hat, made out of the coarsest straw, such as that used by the peasant women. The food of the Bernard ices is coarse, but not unwholesome. Their beds arc simply pieces of canvass made like hammocks. They quit them at daybreak, and after some time spent in devotion in their chapel they repair to their labour in the fields, which is only interrupted by a short repast or by prayer at stated hours. Absolute silence is imposed upon them, the only exception being in case of illness. When the Em peror visited the place a year or two ago, he ex pressed a wish to see the features of one of the sis ters whose air of distinction, even uuder her coarse attire, struck him, but he failed to obtain what he asked. It would be a mistake to suppose that the Community consists exclusively of the poorer class of society. Young persons belonging to families of good standing and means have sought, and still seek, to be received in it. There are instances where postulants of the class I allude to have been rejected on the ground that their health was not robust enough to practice the severe rules of the Order. They were not received even as novi ces, and after repeated entreaties, contented them selves with becoming sisters of the neighbouring Community, as " Servantes de Marie." The ordinary route from Bayonne to Biarritz is the high road from the Porte d'Espagne to the vil lage of Anglet. The other passes by the beautiful walk keown as the Areas Marines, along the banks of the Adour to the downs which lie between the villas and gardens of Bayonne and the sea, There are few sensations more delicious than those yon experience while descending on a sum mer's morning the banks of the river, which, from this point, where its waters are increased by its junction with the Nive, really looks like a noble stream. At the extremity of the Allees Marines you enter the pine woods the verdure of which defies the winds of autumn and the cold of winter. The road winds through this wood for about an hour, when it emerges on the downs. At one time you enter a deep ravine, where you are shut in among sandhills, and a moment after you catch a glimpse of the sea glittering in the beams of the morning sun. As you proceed along towards the Chambre d'Amour and the Lighthouse, you perceive groups of women working in the maize fields on your left, whom you recognise as Bernardines by their peculiar habit and the large blue cross on their shoulders. If you happen to inquire which of the many paths before you leads to Biarritz, they raise their faces for a moment from the ground, and point with the finger—but not a word is uttered. From this spot half an hour's smart walk brings you to Biarritz. It is possible that at some future time the Refuge and the plantations of the Bernardines will be cited as instances of the skill of religious communi ties in selecting the most favourable site for esta blishing themselves. It is certain that, however flourishing the site may be at some distant period, nothing could be more desolate, and, app arently, more incapable of being turned to account than the spot on which, not many years ago, the Bernardines and Servantes de Marie pitched their tents. FATAL ACCIDENT TO A SURGEON. Yesterday evening Mr. Wm. Payne, City coroner, held an inquiry at St. Bartholomew's Hospital, re { specting the death of Mr. George Mullins, aged 72 years, who lost his life under the following cir cumstances : Mr. J. W. Key, 18, Westmoreland•place, said that deceased was a surgeon, and resided at No. 5, Holland-street, Brixton. On Sunday afternoon h e came to dine with witness. He only drank two glasses of ale at dinner and he was quite sober. He was very deaf. Witness saw him into an omnibus for London-bridge, and he no doubt got o ut of it in Holborn to get a ennington omnibus. Alfred Skidder Slater said that he saw deceased standing in the roadway of Holborn-hill. A cab drove up, and though the driver called out, de ceased never moved. The shaft of the cab struck him in the temple and knocked him under the wheel, which, however, did not go over him. When lifted up he said, " Oh, my poor head." He was re moved to the hospital. Bk Another witness said that deceased stood in the carriage-w a y " as if mesmer i se d." Mr. E. S m ith, h ouse surgeon , sa id t h a t d ec eased expired on M on d ay morn i ng f rom a f racture o f th e in the o y m e--. the fall. The shaft had struck him right verdict Accidental Death. and aceelers.°mP (Anym triszu " --- gravated liver, ands to perfectly curable laints, in every "To -I—Consumption, all nervous, bilious stage, are only ag by rated by drugs of every description, but Arabica Food, as p „ ved ßa rrY's health restoring Revalenta been considered hopeless by_ thousands of cases which had Miss Lange, 18 years 01 age We quote a few.—Cure No. 62,914. abandoned all hopes of he ' r recto pulmonary consumption cured alter the medical men had , with fe l' a e r % from the last stage of exhaustion, spitting of blood, p er . ix ' e "gb, expectoration, emaciated to a skeleton. she is flow , tahtions, hollow cheeks, healthy, blooming, fleshy giri,—..x La : e k God, a perfectly Police. Cure, No. 46,270. Mr. James Roberts,Rrniallaire de of thirty years' diseased lungs, spittio s of rimley Surrey, gof blood nv derangement, and partial deafness.—Cure, No. 47,121. er Elizabeth Jacobs, of extreme nervousness, indigestion, gatherings, low spirits, and nervous fancies.--Cure, No.* 54,816. Ihe Rev. James T. Campbell, Fakenham, Norfolk, of indigestion and torpidity of the liver, which had resisted all medical treatment. In tins, 11b, 2s 9d; 21b, 4s 6d; 51b, lis ; 121 b, 228; 241 b, 40s. Barry du Barry and Co., No. n, Regent-street, London ; also Fortnum and Mason; and all grocers and chemists in every town of the United Kingdom. HIGH SPEED IN THE NAVY. The exploits of the Florida and Alabama convey too im portant a lesson to be lightly passed over. They affora an example from which much may be learned, much gained, if we please to profit by the information which their career — almost unexampled in the history of maritime warfare — supplies to the nation and the Government. We have here two steamers of small size, with light guns, unprotected by armour, and with crews of, perhaps, at most 200:men each, doing an unparalleled amount of injury to an enemy's com merce and trade, burning and destroying wherever they please, and setting at defiance the whole Federal navy; fighting when so disposed, flying when occasion requires ; intangible, vanishing from the grasp of the destroyer only todestroy.. The The characteristics eristiis de cso srid a of the fig a Alabama screw cr a e r w e well known steamer of extraordinary swiftness ; her hull long and low ; no external traces visible of her real strength and power." It is stated on evidence, which we see at pre sent no reason to doubt, that this little vessel had destroyed not less than 9,700,000 dols. worth of Federal pro perty, up to the 11th of last May, and, most suggestive fact of all, she has managed to elude 13 Federal cruisers sent spe cially in pursuit of her. Even if we take these statements cum grano salis, the mere fact of the Florida and Alabama being still in existence proves how difficult it is for regular men .of-war to capture or destroy vessels whose great speed permits them to act the part of guerillas, the rapidity of whose movements prevents the acquirement of accurate knowledge of their whereabouts. The history of naval war fare shows unmistakably that heavy freights and ships of the line are totally unfitted to pursue and capture privateers; just as regular troops usually fail in operations undertaken against men who carry on a predatory, half-savage warfare half. savage, in that each man acts more or less on his own responsibility. exposes himself to danger as little as possible, and invariably selects those moments when his enemy is off his guard as the best opportunity for making an attack. In the face of such evidence, we continue to devote all our energies to the production of a magnificent fleet of iron plated vessels admirably suited for performing the weightier operations of warfare—ships which may probably add here after to the long list of sea battles in which England has been victorious. But we state without hesitation that these are not the vessels to cope with such craft as the Alabama and Florida. The Warrior could not waste her time in look ing for such ships. True, she might happily fall foul of one of them now and then, sink, burn, and destroy ; but we ima gine ships of the Alabama case would take particular care to keep at that safe distance which prudence dictated from our heavy frigates ; and very little examination or inquiry is necessary to show that we have at present no other steam ships, built or building, really competent to undertake the destruction of such dangerous fees to commerce. It is folly to propose the despatch of a frigate costing over half a million sterling in pursuit of a craft not worth the tenth part of the sum ; we may rest assured that recourse will never be had to such an expedient while it remains possible to avoid it. What the exact amount of destruction to our commerce may be which would render it impossible, we can form no idea; that it would be very considerable we have no doubt. Thus, in 1812, an American war brig, the Argus, at one time took up her station off the south coast of Ireland, cruising between the Tuskar and the Saltees, about the Ist of August. "The West India fleet now began to return, the ships of war leaving them at the chops of the Channel and proceeding to Portsmouth. Now began the Argus's destruction of the homeward-bounds. For several days and nights captures were made, and with their rich and valuable cargoes consigned to the flames, which were seen blazing and smoking as they drifted by. No large ship of war could be spared at the time for the Cork station." After doing an incalculable amount of mischief, the Argus was destroyed by the Pelican sloop of war sent specially in pursuit of her. We are not a whit better prepared for such foes now than we were in 1812, It is not with gun-brigs we would have to deal in the event of a modern war, but with steamers whose speed would enable them to laugh our ships to scorn ; and it is therefore well that the attention of those in power should be drawn to the necessity of providing a fleet of small steamers, specially constructed to encounter the privateen—for so we will term them—which a hostile Government would launch by the hundred againstour mer cantile marine. The construction of such a fleet would entail little expense. 11%1f-a •dozen serviceable war-steamers might be built, en gined, and fitted for the price of the Warrior ; but to be efficient, they would reqnire to be extremelyunlike any of the small sloops or despatch vessels we have now afloat. The first consideration must be speed. On this their powers of attack, their capabilities for making reprisals, and the facility for escaping when threatened by an overwhelming force, would entirely depend. Length would be necessary to ensure velocity; light draught of water to enable them to pursue, or fly into shallows—a qualification which would seem to dictate a recourse to the twin• screw principle, or something analogous. To cover such vessel 3 with armour plates would be simply to render them useless. As a rule, they would have to con tend only with ships as unprotected as themselves. They would no more attempt to encounter a modern frigate than one of our 10. gun brigs of 50 years ago would a 120-gun ehip. It might, probably, be found advantageous to fit them with a single strake of armour plates between wind and water; even this is doubtful, and should only be done after mature consideration. The question of armament is not one difficult of solution. A single 100 lb. rifled gun on Whit. worth's, or some other principle equally good, and a couple of 681 b. muzzle-loaders, would, we conceive, be amply suffi cient. Did we possess any large guns perfectly trust worthy, they could find no place more suitable for the exer cise of their own powers than on the upper decks of such ships. The evils attending the discharge of the heaviest ordnance between decks, in comparatively confined situa tions, are well understood. In the open air, however, and with plenty of room to work them, their use would quickly become as habitual to the sailor as the carronade or the long 68; but, unfortunately, the success of any gun throwing shot over 100 lb. weight is too exceptional to enable us to calculate with certainty on their capabilities. Masts and sails would, we conceive, be out of place in the ships we speak of. Depending wholly on their engines for the excessive speed which would really be the measure of their efficiency, spars would be of little service; and, being liable to be shot away, might foul the screw at the most critical moment. They are inimical to the attainment of speed, unless when going dead before the wind, or nearly so. It is very well understood that the top hamper of our steam frigates ia a principal cause why they do not attain the speed of our merchant vessels ; and ships intended to steam seven teen or eighteen knots an hour could not tolerate their re tarding influence. It is generally considered that a steamer without spars would be powerless if her engines broke down. Perhaps ; but there is no reason whatever that when placed in such a predicament she should not resort to the same ex pedient as a sailing vessel which had lost her masts—no thing would be easier than to stow jury masts, &c., so that they could be rendered available when occasion required. The absence of masts and top hamper would render a steamer burning Welch coal almost invisible at the distance of a few miles; one of the most desirable objectkin the kind of war fare we are speaking of. When we remember how light the armament necessary to these vessels would be, it is easy to understand that great size would be out of place. The real measure of their carry ing capacity would depend on the size of their engines and the quantity of coals stowed. 17 to 18 knots could be got in fair weather from vessels propelled by engines of some 3,000 effective horse-power. 800 horse-power has been developed ere now by a 35 ton locomotive ; and there is no reason that marine engines should be much heavier proportionately to their power. Screw engines and boilers, with water, of 3,000 horse-power might, by a liberal use of steel, and wrought iron instead of cast, be so constructed as not to weigh more than 200 tons. Making every allowance, 70 tons of coals in the 24 hours would supply the engines with steam ; and a cruise of eight days, nearly at full speed, would thus come within the power of the ship. The mere fact, however, of a ship being able to steam 17 or 18 knots an hour, is no rea son whatever that she should always run at that speed. The consumption of fuel increases as the cube of the velo city, and a very slight reduction in the number of knots steamed per hour would enable coal to be reserved for those moments when the engines would be exerted to the utmost. A powerful blower, arranged suitably, would double the evaporative power of the boiler at such a time. The me chanical engineer would experience no difficulty in con structing engines which, while very light, would be ex tremelyospeed r y f o r r a w te l 1 w i c o h o l t d h e b y e sh moderate,o ul d b t trustworthy. Alth oug h run occasionally at the h th ig eir h co e ns pe e e q ia u ll e y ntl y designedrepairs I would n o t b e h eavy; and not only the engines but the ships could be refitted in almost any port on our coasts, as their moderate size would place them within the powers of any private shipbuilding establishment or engineering firm. These war vessels would be admirably adapted, as well to afford a secondary protection to our own commerce as to de stroy that of the enemy, while their comparatively trifling cost would deprive the loss of one or two, now and then, of any very serious consequences. We have not at present a single ship of the kind. The old steam frigates of the Bull dog and Cyclops class are fast disappearing, their slow speed rendering them utterly worthle ss . Th e a ll- a b sor bi ng subject of iron-plating has thrown every other question connected with the navy or the protection of our comme r c e shade, and our naval establishment comparatively into the t will soon be composed of nothing but . costly . firs o -r t ates. That the construction of heavy war ships is of =pr to • but that it is of an importance great enough we admit— swe deny. A Florida or an banish all other consideration to-morrow, Alabama may play havoc, with our commerce and we feel pretty certain that our iron-plated frigates will be far too busily engaged to prevent them. The Govern ment may, up and arming perhaps, contemplate taking The evidence he our merchant steamers iu the event of a war. 1 15 years given before the House of Commons some 14 or • ago, was scarcely sufficiently encouraging even then to war rant any great reliance on the aid to be derived from such a force—there is not a ship of the kind which would not re quire immense strengthening before she could be considered fit to carry one or two 68-pounders, and war might be half over before they could be qualified to take any part in it. To be at peace, let us be prepared for every description of naval attack and defence. A few hundred thousand pounds, properly laid out now, may possibly prevent the less of millions hereafter; and our readers may rest assured that the quest i • on we have placed before them is one of vital im portance, well worthy the careful study of thinking men. — Mechanics' ziolagine, THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 9, 1 863. SPIRIT OP THE PUBLIC 30ITRNALS. Tmeas.—Apart from the interest naturally excited by a s truggle so gallantly sustained, we find in the incidents of the siege of Charleston many lessons of the utmost import ance to military and naval science. While we are theorising, the Americans are practising. Onr speculations and elperi ments proceed side by side with the actual war across the Atlantic, and it behoves us to lose no opportunity of testing our conclusions by the results of the experience there ac quired. Unfortunately, this is not so easy a task as might be supposed, The Americans, from the very beginning of the war, have adhered to one particular system with little deviation, and this system happens to have no parallel in our experiments. The comparison fails, therefore, for want of homogeneous quantities. The Americans have not tried our model, and we have made no trial of theirs. Besides this impediment, it is almost impossible to obtain from the scene of war details of such absolute accuracy as are required for calculations like these. Before we could balance the powers of attack and defence as exemplified in any particu lar operation, we should demand an exact description of the armament on one side and the protecting works on the other; whereas it is usually uncertain what guns are employed, or against what defences they are directed. We learn the re sults in general terms, but nothing more. Just now, how ever, we have received a report which, although leaving much to be conjectured or inferred, does undoubtedly con vey a remarkable piece of intelligence. It is announced, on the authority of the general in command of the besiegers, that one of the Charleston forts --the famous Fort Sumter —has been practically demolished by the fire of batteries at a range of two miles or upwards, This is an extraordinary feat, and as such, indeed, it seems to have been regarded by the combatants on both sides. The Federal General Gilmore makes a special report of it to his Govern ment, and communicates also an opinion of General Beauregard—a most competent judge—to the effect that the projectiles employed were the most destructive missiles ever used in warfare, But we are not told what these missiles were. Beyond the general compliment to their efficiency we get little direct information. From the terms in which they are spoken of we infer that they were shells of some kind, and not solid shot, and we also learn that the bonibardment lasted seven days. We collect, too, that some at least, if not all, of the batteries were armed with 200-pounder Parrott guns, but it is not certain what class or classes of ordnance are comprised in that designa tion, Of the number of pieces actually employed against the fort from day to day we have no authentic return, and, though we know that a powerful squadron took part in the attack, we cannot tell exactly to what extent this co-opera tion was carried. Above all, we have no sufficient account of the defences of Fort Sumter. We know that it was in itself an old-fashioned piece of brickwork, and that it had recently been sti engthened by all the additions and supports which the ingenuity of the Confederate engineers could devise. Still, though cotton bales and similar coverings were doubtless useful, they could not turn a weak place into a etrong one, and the shells from the Federal batteries appear to have pierced the walls through and through. Before we offer any remarks on the operations thus reported, we wish to give some account of another event of the war to which attention has not been sufficiently directed. A month or two ago a new Confederate ironclad, called the Atalanta, came out from Savannah to engage two of the Monitors—the Weehawken and the Nahant—engaged in the blockade of Charleston. The Atalanta was a larger and heavier vessel than either of her opponents, and carried six guns, whereas the Monitors carried but two each. But the Atalanta's guns were only 6-inch and 7-inch guns, mounted two on each broadside and two fore and aft, while the guns of the Monitors, carried in turrets, were 15-inch pieces, throwing solid shot of 4401 b weight. The Confe derate commenced the action confidently with her pivot guns, and fired three shots at the Weehawken, but to little purpose. T he Weehawken t h en re pli e d with with one of her monstrous cannon, and the first shot, we are told, " virtually decided the action.' It tore right through the Atalanta's side, and knocked down forty of her crew. Four other shot followed, but at the fifth discharge the Southerner ran up a white flag, and the battle was over. It had lasted scarcely 15 minutes, and was finished before the Nahant could get up to take part in it. The incident is recorded not only with a natural grati fication on the part of the Federals, but as a convincing preof of the efficiency —which has been somewhat stub bornly contested —of tie Dahlgren gun. We cannot deny that the story is a striking one; but we happen, on this oc casion, to know something of its other side. The victors gave a specifi ca ti on of the armamen t and defences of th e captured ship, an d i t turns ou t that the four inches of wrought iron pl a ti ng with w hi c h s he was armed mean only two layers of i ron bars, t wo inches thick, placed one over the other. In short, she was a second Merrimac, and though creditable, we dare say, to the skill of shipwrights working under difficulties, can hardly be regarded as an efficient ironclad. To return, however, to the general question, we find two great principles steadily preserved in American practice. In artillery, the calibre of the gun and the weight of the shot are made as great as possible; in shipbuilding, the turret pattern prevails over every other. These prin ciples, too, would appear to be in some degree connected, if we are to assume—what has not yet been proved—that only turret ships can carry very heavy guns. But neither one principle nor the other has yet been recognised in this country. We are building turret ships , it is true, among other models, but we have not given them any preference, while such a thing as a 400-pounder or 500-pounder gun has not been conceived. Our artillerists, indeed, have ex plicitly condemned the very doctrine on which the Dahlgren system of ordnance is based—that of throwing heavy pro jectiles with low velocities—and prefer to rely on velocity rather than weight. It must be remembered, however, as two systems, that the Amercans are shaping a ll t h e i r explanatory i n some degree o . f the contrast betw een t h e : efforts according to the exceptional requirements of a spe • cial emergency. They build their ships for coa s t wor k and harbour service only. It is by no means certain that any one of the ironclads engaged in the siege of Charleston could be sent to sea with safety. They were intended only for such work as they have been performing, w h eras the conditions of our experiments are far more extensive. shore batteries l e ft N ever th e l ess , until our inquiries have been haveaided now byfur h t e h L e n r evidence, it would be u nwise to assume that we are right or that the Amer jeans a re wron g . The ir onclads were once beaten tmhoerme on o l f off y an ny successful,i t u h f e e Charlestonbut t rpart in the perform ance. Before weit seem s a s forts.it the They can form, however, any safe conclusions it will be necessary to ascertain with accuracy what means were employed on each occasion on either side, and in what respects either the attack or defence had improved or degenerated between the first assault and the second. At present we see that the assailants have not only gained considerable advantages, but have achieved a very remarkable feat. If Fort Sumter were a good specimen of a modern fort, we should say that forts had been fairly beaten b y guns; but we know that the fort was only a piece of patchwork, an d we are b y no means sure that it was effectively armed. We therefore suspend judgment, and content ourselves with indicating the suc cessive incidents which this war produces for our instruc tion and guidance. POST.—While the tide of insurrection is apparently rising in the interior provinces of the Russian empire, the Polish question is gradually ceasing to present itself to Europe in the light of a diplomatic and international question. A great change has taken place in the character and bearing of the revolutionary movement, which we have been watching the last eight months, among the Slavonian subjects of the Emperor of Russia. It may be fraught with still greater danger to the Russian empire than when it was exclusively restricted to the kingdom of Poland, but the progress of the arrangements which are likely to be made for that part of the Emperor's dominions at present renders the insurrection a Russian, more than a European question. With the internal condition of the Russian empire, properly so designated, Europe has no concern. Her right of inter ference, arising under the Treaty of 1815, was strictly limited to the Kingdom of Poland; and we have reason to think that the French Government, as well as our own, are likely to be satisfied if solid concessions are made to the wishes of the Poles. It had become, indeed, absolutely necessary to Russia to disembarrass herself of a European question. The revolution, far from being limited to " Congress Poland," is spreading in fresh provinces of the Russian empire. It will have been observed in the tele grams which we published yesterday that it has broken out in considerable force in the territory of the Ukraine. As many as 26,000 peasants were declared to be in arms there. They had had two successive encounters with the Russians. Worsted in the former, they were victorious in the latter; and it appears that they have captured extensive stores of arms, which will serve to equip a fresh legion of the pea- Bantry. 1 hese events carry the revolutionary movement into the heart of South-Western Russia. In the meanwhile the insurrection appears to be advancing in Lithuania, where the peasantry are declared to be contending with the imperial troops on at least equal terms. They have become facts of deep import to a Government which, hitherto blindly secure in its own maladministration, had only sought to impose its officious protectorate on its neighbours. The struggle seems, therefore, to be involving considerations of great magnitude to the Russian empire in Europe. In order to give the Imperial Government the means of coping with this extended danger, it has been found necessary to clencir and concentrate its energies upon the growing disaffection in Russia Proper. There, the Court of St. Petersburg well knew that no diplomatic representations and no foreign in terference were admissible. It has been found, therefore, that even the most grasping policy rested, to a certain ex tent, in moderation; and that it would be more prudent, for the (present at least, to close an international ground of controversy than to allow a foreign and an internal question to grow into dangerous magnitude together. The Russian Government have therefore found them selves placed face to face with the question, what were the terms in respect to Poland which would set them free from the constant menace of European intervention, and which might also disarm the fierce hostility of the Poles. They have accordingly, as we are given to understand, propounded their view of reverting to the constitutional system of 1815, if n o t on ly t o a yet clearer di s ti nct i on be tween "thetve v ee b ne;evethat liaitngFdreamnceo, a most strenuous champi on o f thef Poland" and the Russian emp i re. Polish cause, is likely to be satisfied with a bona fide re sumption of the form of Government that had been guaran teed by the Congress Treaty of Vienna. Indeed, this was probably all for which the three Powers possessed any right to contend. Mit upon other grounds, readily intelligible, it has been proposed by ittuirsla to make common to the Russian empire Certain parts at least Of the constitutional privileges to be assigned to Poland. The general grant of constitutions is calculated to arrest the tendency to insur rection in other parts of the Czar's dominions. This, how ever, is a matter of municipal and not of international con cern. The acquieserce of Russia in the spirit of our terms must terminate the "Polish question" or at the least post pone it for the next six months. But as the Russian Govern ment has to deal with domestic dangers which have sur vived the importance of her international differences, it has become matter of grave necessity to satisfy the Poles themselves, as well as to defer to the contractors of the Treaty of Vienna. The truth is, that Poland, as a part of the Russian empire, has added little to its influence, while she has incessantly added to its external danger. It would really, therefore, not involve so great a compromise of am • bition as might at first sight appear, for Russia to acquiesce in the devolution of the Polish crown on some other head than that of the Czar; so long as the King of Poland were a member of the Imperial house. Such a course would in deed be more dignified to Russia than the continued spec tacle of a Polish revolution, which she cannot put down ; for it is probable that it would meet with the concur rence of the Poles, as carrying with it the greatest measure of liberty that they could reasonably expect to attain. Much, of course, would depend on the choice of the prince. The Duke of Leuchtenberg,whom the Russian Government were lately ready to put forward for the throne of Greece, is a young man of a moderation and intelligence that might render his name not unpopular among the Poles, and whose close relationship with the Imperial family would secure the concurrence of his foreign policy with the interests of Russia. We are inclined to believe it by no means im probable that the Polish revolution may be attempted to be closed by a concession of the crown to the prince we have named; and in that event we shall have the prospect of a compromise which, if brought about in good faith and upon liberal bases, might possibly prove to be an adjustment of the difficulties by which the "Polish question" has been beset. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. WARWICK SEPTEMBER RACES.-TUESDAY. The proximity of the Great Doncaster Meeting imparts considerable interest to the Warwick September gathering, from the movements which annually take place upon the absorbing struggle impending in the North. Apart from this the programme at Warwick gave promise of sport beyond the average, considering the great number of ani mals that have been run through all over the country. The Course to-day was more crowded than we ever recollect to have seen it, an immense number of holiday people having arrived from Birmingham. The betting enclosure was crowded with professional speculators and backers, but, ex cept on the Leamington Stakes, for which everything that run was backed, speculation was of a limited character. The results will be found amply recorded below, and it is suffi cient to state here that the principal event, " the Stakes," produced a most interesting race and a fine finish between Magnum Bonum and Flirtation, the first mentioned, who had not run since his " head" defeat of Blackdown at Brighton, obtaining the judge's verdict in this instance by a neck. Betting upon the St. Leger absorbed the attention of " the ring" during the intervals between the races. It was almost impossible to make anything out of Lord Clifden, for at one time a reaction took place, and as little as 7 to 1 being taken about him, and a few minutes afterwards 100 to 8 was laid amidst shouts of laughter. Then 23,000 to 190 was betted, and finally those odds were offered. The Ranger was not so firm, 5 to 1 on the field being offered early in the afternoon, and remaining to the end. Queen Bertha and Avenger were unquestionable, and probably for money Avenger was as good a favourite as anything. The Trial Stakes of 5 sovs each, with 50 added, for two-yr olds S d upwards; winners extra; mares and geldings allowed 41bs ; the winner to be sold for 600 sovs, unless exemption from being sold is claimed at the time of en trance, and horses for this claim are made to carry 91b extra. One mile. 5 subs. Lord Uxbridge's General Hess, G yrs, 9st .. (S. Rogers) 1 Mr. E. Brayley's Golden Dust, 3 yrs, 7st 121 b (Cannon) 2 Mr. Fleming's Cadiz, 3 yrs, 7st 81b (Norman) 3 London also ran. Betting -6 to 5 agst General Hess, 100 to 40 agst Golden Dust, 4 to 1 "bar two." The running was made by Cadiz, closely followed by General Hess and Golden Dust, London being left at the post. They ran without any variation from this order until reaching the five furlongs pest, where "the General" took a slight lead, but, upon entering the straight, appeared beaten, and gave way to Cadiz and Golden Dust. After seeming hopelessly defeated, General Hess came again, and, after a most brilliant display of patient riding on the part of Sam Rogers, won a splendid race by a neck ; a head only separated the second and third. The Racing Stakes of 5 sovs each, with 25 added, for 2-yr olds and upwards ; selling and other allowances. Three- quarters of mile. Mr. Mills's Vulture, aged (£3O), Bst (J. Daley) 1 Mr. R. Sty's Acceptance, 2 yrs (£4O), 6st 21b (in. 31b ex.) (A. Woodhouse) 2 . . The betting opened at 5 to 4 on Vulture, but closed at 6 to 4 on Acceptance. Vulture made play throughout, and won easily by a length. The winner was bought by Mr. Reeves for 50 guineas. The Leamington Stakes of 25 sovs each, 15 ft, and 5 only if declared, with 100 added, for 3-yr-olds and up wards ; winners extra. Two miles. 56 subs., 39 of _ _ whom declared. Mr. Fleming's Magnum Bonum, 4 yrs, 7st 121 b (Norman) 1 Captain Coates's Flirtation, 5 yrs, Bst 31b (Midgley) 2 Mr. G. Lambert's Aurelian, 5 yrs, 9st (J. Goater) 3 The following also ran :—Twilight, Amy, The Prophet, The Principal, Taunus, Dunkeld, West End, and For• midable. Betting-5 to 1 agst Magnum Bonum, 11 to 2 agst Au relian, 6 to 1 agst West End, 100 to 15 each agst Dunkeld and Flirtation, 8 to 1 agst Formidable, 10 to 1 each agst Twilight, Amy, and The Prophet, 100 to 6 agst The Prin cipal. _ . . After a little restive display, which fully occupied the seven or eight minutes the 11 runners were at the post be fore time, they were capitally started, Formidable, Taunus, and The Principal showing in front to the stand, where Dunkeld was fourth, West End fifth, and Magnum Bonum next. After rounding the top turn, Formidable took a clear lead, followed by The Principal and Taunus ,D unkeld, Magnum Bonum, and Twilight succeeding in a cluster, the last two being Aurelian and Flirtation. Ascending the hill Dunkeld was third, Taunus dropping back into the company of The Principal, who at the mile-post was beaten off. On reappearing in sight, after a momentary absence from view, Dunkeld had obtained second place, Aurelian and West End being third and fourth, and Amy and The Prophet lying close up with them until half way across the meadows, when they were joined by Twilight. At the half mile post Formidable still maintained the lead, having close up with him Dunkeld, Amy, and West End ; the others, with the exception of The Principal and Taunus, well up. Rounding the turn, Amy dropped back to the rearmost pair, whilst the rest, upon fairly gaining the straight, where the lot, with the exception of the three—The Principal, Taunus, and Amy—might have been covered with a sheet. Quarter of a mile from home Dunkeld deprived Formidable of the lead, and at the distance Flirtation headed Dunkeld, and was at the same moment challenged on the left by Magnum Bonum and on the right by Aurelian. Opposite the stand Aurelian gave way, and an interesting race between Mag num Bonum and Flirtation resulted in the victory of Mag num Bonum, who won by a neck ; Aurelian was beaten a length from Flirtation; The Prophet was fourth, and Dun keld fifth, close up; West End was sixth; the last three runners up wereTwilight,.the Principal, and Amy; Taunus walked in with the crowd. The Avon Stakes of 5 soya each, 3 ft, with 30 added; for two and 3-yr-olds; the winner to be sold for L5O; maiden allowances. Five furlongs. 13 subs. Lord Coventry's Salvioni, 2 yrs, Est 111 b....(Maidment) 1 Mr. J. H. C. Wyndham's Queen Fastrada, 2 yrs, 6st 61b (Dowling) 2 L er d Bateman's Coimbra, 2 yrs, Est 41 b.. (J. Grimsha w ) 3 Mr. Merton's Telscombe, 2 yrs, Est 7 1 b........ (Za n k er ) 4 Mr. H. E. Handley's Outpost, 2 yrs, 75t.... (11, Covey) Mr. Hodgman's Rosa Lee, 2 yrs, fist 41b ...... (Morris) 6 Bett i ng -6 to son Salvioni, who made all the running, and won by a neck ; two lengths separated the second and third. Tho winner was bought by Mr. Wood for 200 guineas. The Castle Park Stakes of 5 sous soya each, with 50 added, for 2-yr-olds ; colts Bst 41b, fillies Bst 71b; winners extra, and maiden allowances. T.Y.C. Three-quarters of a m ile. 18 subs. M r . J. Merry's Phemy filly, Bst 21b ...... (A. Edwards) 1 Captain Gray's King George, 9st 31b (inc 71b extra) Mr. Longfield's Union J ac k (F. Adams) f , 9st (including 41b extra) (Custance f Mr. Barber's The Clo wn , 9 st 31b (including 71b extra) (J. Osborne) 4 The following also ran :—Lord Cochrane, Bigotry, and Cynthia colt. Betting-2 to 1 eget the Phemy filly, 3to 1 agat The Clown, 4 to 1 agst Union Jack, 5 to 1 agat King George. The Phemy filly made play with the rest, barring Lord Cochrane, following in a cluster to the commencement of the turn, where the favourite held a clear lead of King George, Union Jack, and The Clown, who in close company were proceeding eeveral lengths in advance of the remaining three. King George and Union Jack challenged the Phemy filly, but both failed to get up, and the favourite won cleverly, after making all the running, by half a length ; King George and Union Jack, who finished a dead heat for second place, beat The Clown a length; the Cynthia colt and LordCochrane finished side by side many lengths in rear of The Clown, and Bigotry pE.ssed the post at least 100 yards behind the winner. The Queen's Plate of 160 guineas, for three-yr-olds and up wards. Two miles. Mr. I'Anson's Caller Oa, 5 yrs, 9st 21b (Challoner) 1 Mr. T. Ivens' Sir William, 5 yrs, 9st 121 b (car lOst 21b) (Owner) 2 No betting. Caller Ou made play throughout, galloped her opponent to a standstill, and passed the winning post 50 lengths in front of the butcher's horse. - - Tile Siloam Handicap of 5 am each, 3 ft, with 25 added; for all ages; winners extra. Five furlongs. 27 subs. Lord Coventry's Zara, 3 yrs, Est 91b (Inc 6st 111 b) (Maidment) 1 Lord Uxbridge's Liston, 3 yrs, Est 71b.. (A. Woodhouse) 2 Mr. Robertson's Paddy O'Rourke, 3 yrs, 7st llb (Whiteley) 3 The following also, ran :—Miss Livingstone, Wave, Fanny Seaton, and Virginia. Betting-2 to 1 agst Paddy O'Rourge, 4to 1 agst Liston, 9 to 2 each agst Zara and Miss Livingstone. Miss Livingstone, Paddy O'Rourke, and Wave raced head and head for the lead, followed by Liston and Zara about a couple of lengths off, with Virginia behind them, and Fanny Seaton tailed off. Miss Livingstone gave way upon entering the straight, where Zara joined Paddy O'Rourke, and Wave having dropped into the rear, Liston joined the leading pair, Zara and Paddy O'Rourke. At the distance Liston challenged Zara, but never getting up was beaten a head ; Paddy O'Rourke was only beaten a neck from Liston; Wave was beaten three lengths from Paddy O'Rourke; Miss Livingstone was fifth, and Vir ginia sixth. LATEST BETTING. ST LEGER. sto 1 agst Ranger (taken) 6to 1 agst Queen Bertha (taken) 13 to 2 agst Avenger (taken) 9to 1 agat Golden Pledge (taken) 18 to 1 agst Blue Mantle (taken) 20 to 1 agst Lord Clifden (offered) 25 to 1 agst Donnybrook BETTING AT MANCtiESTER-TIIESDAY. The little done on the St. Leger was almost confined to Lord Clifden, who finished at 9 to 1 (taken and offered). Closing prices ST. LEGER. 4to 1 agst Ranger (offered) 6to 1 agst Queen Bertha (wanted) 7to 1 agst Avenger (offered) 9to 1 agst Golden Pledge (offered) 9to 1 agst Lord Clifden (taken and offered) 16 to 1 agat Blue Mantle (taken) • 40 to 1 agat National Guard (taken) ST. LEGER PROPHECIES, by "Beacon" and "Rhyming Richard," with Latest Betting, and exclusive information of Probable Starters, Jockeys, &c. List of Horses expected at Doncaster—the Sled mere Sale—Special Reports of Warwick, Leicester, and Baden Baden Meetings, and all the Racing, Shooting, Cricket, and Aquatic N ews of the week—See Ihe Sporting Gazette (limited) of Saturday next, Sept. 12, the only paper that prophesied Macaroni and Lord Clifden Ist and 2d for the Derby, Queen Bertha for the Oaks, the Ranger for the Grand Prix de Paris, and Isoline and. La Toucques Ist and 2d for Goodwood Cup.—Price Three pence, Stamped Fourpence. Office, 14, York-street, Covent garden, London. The Extraordinary Discovery at Whitechapel Church. ADDITIONAL AND LATEST PARTICULARS. Yesterday morning several persons visited the shop of Mr. Daniel Bradley, the undertaker, of Whitechapel-road, to inspect the bodies of the children and the clothing found• in the roof of the church, but they could not identify anything, as the articles were so much decayed. Mr. Powell, the senior churchwarden, and fore man of the jury, gave instructions to Mr. Bradley to remove the whole of the remains in a large shell, for burial in the Tower Hamlets Cemetery, Bow road, and the interment will take place on Saturday afternoon next, atter the result of the inquest is made known. Yesterday afternoon Mr. John Pownceby, of the coroner's office, received information of a boy re siding in the neighbourho :d of the church, who had seen the deceased man Smith, the late gravedigger, carry up small coffins into the belfry on several oc casions. This fact will throw some light on the present mystery which surrounds the case, and show that Mr. Wilkenson, the bezton, has been duped out of his fees. The workmen, under the charge of Ivl.r. Hicks, the builder, have made further search, but no more bodies have been found, although the entire rot 4 of the sacred edifice has been removed. Many applications have been made by persons to view the place in the steeple, but the parochial authorities have ordered the spot to be locked up. A YOUTHFUL ELOPEMENT, On Monday (says the Liverpool Courier) the facts were brought to light of the singular circumstance of a boy and girl, aged 13 and 14 respectively, having eloped from Rochdale and arrived in Liverpool, where they had taken lodgings and cohabited. In the morning a young man named Heywood, son of Levi Heywood, who lives at a farm called Japhey's' i ,Farm, near Rochdale, arrived her from that town and gave information to the police that a young girl who lived with her father had run away from home with a boy whose father lived in Rochdale, and it was be lieved they had come to Liverpool. An officer went out with the young man to search for the youthful lovers, but returned without success. While they were out looking for them, however, Police-constable 96 (Markey), having re ceived information of the affair, saw a boy and a girl in Tithebarn-street, and from the description which had been given him he at once concluded that they were the erring ones. The officer asked them in a kindly manner if they had not come from Rochdale, when the girl, who appeared to be very shrewd—much more so than her young lover— replied that they had not come from that place. This an swer did not satisfy the officer, who took them aside, and by minute questioning succeeded in eliciting from the boy that they had come from Rochdale, and that they had slept together at a house in Plumbe-street. Finding that the boy had confessed, the girl also acknowledged the truth of the story. The boy said his name was Joseph Leech, and that his father was a plasterer, residing at 75, Whitworth road, Rochdale. The girl's name was Mary Dawson, and she was between 14 and 15 years of age. She said they left h ome together on Sunday morning, and she had at that time 4s, 6d. in her pocket, and that her companion had 56., which he had been four years in saying up at a penny bank, and had withdrawn it for the purpose of leaving home. It seems that when the girl was only three years of age her mother died and she was taken charge of by Mr. Heywood, with whom she has lived ever since. Her father holds some situation in a woollen mill at Rochdale. The boy was a play mate of the girl's, and one of the girl's companions told young Leech that Maro was going to leave home and run away. Of course young Joseph could not stand this, so he determined to go away as well, and having consulted with her the result was that they determined to go away together. They left their h ome on S unday morning, and having met . at a previously appointed place they walked to Bolton, and from thence came to Liverpool. On their arrival here they took lodgings at the house of T. Douglas, 46, Plumbe street, Tithebarn-street, where, in answer to inquiries put by the woman of the house, they represented that they were brother and sister, that the boy had come to Liverpool to get a place in an office or to go to sea, and that the girl wanted to get a situation of some sort. They then asked if it would not be cheaper for them both to sleep in one bed, when the woman replied that it would make no difference as the girl could sleep with her. After some talk, however, they said they would prefer sleeping together, which they accordingly did, Police-constable Markey escorted the two runaways to the central police-office, where they were de tained until six o'clock in the evening, when he saw them off, in company with young Heywood, in a train for Roch dale. They had with them a nice little white poodle dog, which they left behind them in their excitement. Shooting a Gamekeeper in Essex. We deeply regret to learn that the commencement of the shooting season has been marked by one .of these desperate conflicts often leading to murder, which, though heard of in other parts of the kingdom, are happily not frequent in Essex. No serious personal injury has in this instance been sustained, though as a band of game watchers were twice fired upon by poachers, it appears to have been a mere chance of the moment that life was not sacrificed. It seems that early on Sunday morning four keepers on the estate of T. B. Western, Esq , of Felix Hall, were watching the:preserves, known as the Thicks,at Rivenhall, expecting, it would seem from their strong force, an attack upon the game in that quarter. About six o'clock they heard several reports of fire-arms, and on reaching the spot from which the sounds proceeded they encountered two poachers with guns, one of whom was recognised as Henry Towns, keeper of the Cherry Tree, a small public-house in the outskirts of Witham; and Thos Ager, a labourer, of the same place. Of course the keepers prepared to close with the depredators, and Wm. Burrell, one of them being in front, attempted to take Towns, who turned upon him, raised his gun, and deliberately fired. Fortunately the charge failed to take effect, but the escape was very narrow indeed, as it passed between Burrell's arm and body and cut down the brushwood immediately behind him. The keepers instantly closed upon him, and after a desperate struggle they obtained possession of the gun and secured him. Bur rell then observed Ager, the other man, making his escape with a gun in his hand, and being the youngest and ap parently the most active of the keepers, he at once gave chase and rapidly gained upon his man, who, finding he must be taken, turned, when his pursuer was within a few feet of him, pointed his gun at him, and fired.e The:charge struck the keeper i n th e s id e an d knocked him down, setting fire to hi s c l o th es an d i n j ur i ng his flesh, but fortunately none of the shots entered his body. Ager then escaped. The other keepers i mme di a tely ran to Burrell's assistance, and found the poor f e llow lying on the g r ou n d. On examin ing him they f oun d hi s clothing shot away , his breast v ery much bruised and discoloured, but, as we have said, most fortunately none of the shots had penetrated. T owns was handed over to the police and quickly transferred t o t h e Witham station. Superint en dent Catrhpoole, with hi s men, immediately went in pursuit of Ager, who w as apprehended between 7 and 8 in the evening. Ager at first denied having been at Rivenhall, but after w ards observe d , " The gun went off by accident." The prisoner was taken to Springfield police station for the night, and yesterd a y h e was conveyed to Witham for examination. Ager i s a young and powerful man, and he has previously been convicted of poaching and theft,--Essex Reraid. The Condemned Convicts at Kirkdale. • The four men, Alvarez, Hughes, Thomas, and * James O'Brien, who await execution at Kirkdale Gaol, on Saturday next, have not been respited up to the present time, end there seems every proba bility that the law will take its course. The men are diligently attended to by the clergymen, Protestant and Catholic, and seem for t he most part: to appreciate their position. With respect to Hughes, charged with wife murder, the follow in g letter has been received by Mr. Little, the barrist er, who defended him on his trial : Whitehall, Sept. 7/ 1863. both Sir,—l am directed by Sir G. Grey to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 4th instant, on behalf of John Hughes, now under sentence of death for murder. I era to acquaint you that after a careful consideration of all the cir cumstances of the case, bir G. Grov . regrets that he c annot see any sufficient ground to justify him in advising' her Majesty to interfere with the due =live of the law.—l 21331 sir. your obedient servant, WADDINGTON. R. Little, Esq., Canning-street, Liverpool. Collision on the North-Eastern RailwaY; On Monday evening the Parliamentary train from York to Newcastle, where she is due a c 10 5, ran completely through a mineral train, consisting of 25 ironstone waggon s heavily laden, which at the moment happened to be pas sing over the very dangerous point where the Stockton and Dar lington and North-Eastern—two of the busiest lines for mineral traffic in the kingdom—cross each other at right angles. Behind the engine and tender of the passenger t rain were three or four third-class carriages, all occupied. These were thrown off the lice by the force of the concussion, and although greatly crushed, fortunately preserved their per pendicular. One of the waggons was carried on the buffers of the engine for several yards, and acted as a power ful break. Another was pitched end over into a ditch close by ; and a third fought, as it were, in the front rank of the mineral train with the passenger train for the right of waY, and so caused the injury to the carriages. Miraculous to state, no lives were sacrificed. The driver of the passenger engine was cut about the face; and a commercial gen tleman from Liverpool, named Potter, had to be con veyed to the King's Head Inn under medical care. He is supposed to have received internal injury, .as he cried out with pain. Other passengers got slight bruises, but with this one exception, were enabled to resume their jour ney two hours afterwards, when, by availing themselves Of a branch line, they evaded the obstruction on the main line caused by the accident. Mr. Bell, the locomotive superin tendent of the railway at Darlington, and a numerous stag of workmen, set to work to clear the permanent way, which they effected by 2 o'clock yesterday morning. The blame rests with Chaytor, the guard of the mineral train. This train had just reached Darlington from the Cleveland mines, and should have been shunted into a siding, where in the ordinary course it would have remained until next morning, and then been taken forward to Newcastle. It was Chaytor'a duty to look to the points, but asked a fellow-servant named Gale to do it, he being busy with his van. Whether Ga le did anything or nothing to the points remains to be inves tigated, but certain it is that instead of the engine pushing the waggons into the siding, the waggons ran away from the engine down the slight incline towards the crossing. Had the passenger train been one moment earlier in arriving at the crossing the consequences must have been frightf ul ' as the whole weight of the 25 laden ironstone waggon s would have come broadside upon it, and in all probability have caused a serious destruction of life. COUNTRY MARKETS. 4.• ^ LEEDS—TUESDAY. New wheat was in good demand to-day, and the cur rencies of last Friday were slightly advanced. The 113 ' 4 quiry for old sorts more active. LIVERPOOL—TUESDAY. At our market to-day there was a fair attendance of the trade, but the advance required on wheat tended to check business. A fair quantity found buyers at about 4 per cental advance on the week. Barley, beans, and peas all very firm. Indian corn rather active, but closed quiet' Flour rather dearer, and scarce. MARKET HARBOROUGH-TUESDAY. White wheat, 45s to 48s ; red, 42s to 45s per 3G s tone. ;golfing barley at 36s to 39s per qr.; grinding, 29s to 3 3 1 . p o . 30 at. Oats, old, 26s t 0,305; new, 20s to 23s per 2. st. ; beans, 37s to 41s per qr. SHEFFIELD—TUESDAY. We had a tolerable supply of wheat, and the dew sncl was moderate, ao,prices not materially altered. Red wheat, per load of 3 imperial bushels...lss Od to 17s , 0 1 White ff I ...18s Od to 19 5 °L; New red „ v ..15s Od to 18s Od cl New white II ,_ ..18s Od to 20s O i Beans If 71 .. • 15s 6d to 17s 6I Peas, per qr 4ss Od to 5 6 s °I Grinding barley, per qr Malting ditto, „ 34s Od to 3 86 „ A Oats 11 22s Od to 2 7s Flour, is 7d to 2s ld per stone. MELTON MOWBRAY—TuEsim.y. The following were the currencies :—New white wheat, 45s Od to 50s Od ; new red, 43s Od to 46s per 36 stone; beans, 39s to 43s for old ; new sorts, 37s to 38s per 38 st. barley, 31s to 38s for malting, and 28s to 30s per qr. for grinding; new oats, 22s to 270 d per 24 stone. DUBLIN—TUESDAY. The supply of wheat and oats small—wheat 6d to 9d and oats about 3d dearer. Indian corn still a drag. s. d. s. d. 6. d. s• d ' 1 Wheat, white.. 23 oto 26 6 Beans.. . oto --- ~ Do., red 2O oto 23.6 Bere Do., new .... —oto 0 Rapeseed „ Barley Oats Do., black — oto-- 0 Indi a n corn.. 27 oto 28 Foreign Mail Packet List. MAILS DUE. Australia and Mauritius, via Southamptoft... • Sept. 18 ' via Marseilles Sept. 12. drazil and Cape Verds, by British packet... Oct. 5. Cape of Good Hope, Ascension, and St. Helena Sept. 23. China, Penang, and Singapore, via Southamptun Sept. If; via Marseilles Sept' 12 Falkland Islands Gibraltar, via Southampton India (Calcutta), and Ceylon, via Southampton.. S S e e p p t ti 11 ! 8 : via Marseilles.... Sept. 1:; India (Bombay), via Southampton Sept. 1 : n ' via Marseilles Sept. "' Portugal.... 1- Malta, Egypt, and Aden, via Southampton Sept. '' via Marseilles Sept. 11.1 Newfoundland Oporto and Vigo U. S. and British N. America, by Brit. packet.... Sept. 11 by U.S. packet.... . 1. by Canadian packet. Sept. 10. W.C. of Africa, Madeira, and Teneriffe ..Sep Bahamas, via New York ' Mexico All parts of West Indies, including Chili, Peru, I Sept. 141 California. and British Columbia.. NOVEL SCENE IN A CIRCUS.—P singular inc l ' dent occurred three evenings ago at the Baili e / Circus at Ostend, when the Duchess de Brabant was P re. sent. The performance terminated by a stag hunt, in whic— the animal, finding itself surrounded, made a desperate leap and alighted in the royal box at the feet of the duche ss ' It then jumped over the "low partition, rushed down the grand staircase at the back of the box, gained the street , and has not since been heard of. This unexpected feat, which was not on the programme, excited general laughter in the theatre, in which the duchess herself was one o f the first to join.—Galignani. [ADVERTISEMENT.]-11olloway's Ointment and Bo Advised.—Sufferers from disease would act wisely ill trying these noble remedies before they abandon further efforts for recovering their lost and fading health. T he momentous question of enjoying health or enduring nines° should determine all invalids to use Holloway's healing Ointment and purifying Pills before yielding themselvee up to despair. The Ointment not only . cures all skin die' eases, outward sores, and superficial inflammations , b ut restrains deep-seated ailments of the throat , chest, an d bowels, when it is well rubbed externally over those parts. From this Ointment's known power to quell irritation, it d w i a p s ht s h u e p ri po a s , e d d ia i rr t hweeosu,ldanbde e d m ys t e n n en te t ry ly , a us p ef r u ecu l e i t n io c n he w c h k i l time, experience, and reflection have verified. Births. FITZ3fAURICE.—On the Ist inst., at Plas Llnynon, Angl e soy, the Hon. Mrs. Fitzmaurice, o f a son. FLOVER.—On the 7th inst., at Old Kent-road, the wife ° f Major Flower, of a son. GAISPORD. — On the sth inst., at Offington, Sussex, La" Emily Gaisford, of a daughter. TnAILL.—On the 6th inst., at Blackheath, the wife of J ag. Christie Traill, Esq., of a son. Marriages. FINCH--LE STRANGE.—On the 7th inst., at St. Mal; lebone Church, Charles Wynne Finch, Esq.. 31• F" t Jamesina, relict of H. Styleman Le Strange, Esq. h_ FENNER—HILL.—O n t h e 3d i nst., at St. P au l' s Chao ,v Southampton, John H. F enner , E sq ., o f Little CanfoT i Wimborne, to P ezo y A ra b e ll a , on l y d aug ht er o f Chari T. Hill, Esq., R.N., Southampton. Deaths. • BARNARD.—On the 7th inst., at North-end, Fulham, 1 " Frederick Barnard, aged 56. BUTLER.—On the 7th inst., suddenly, at Lewisham, g r. Wm. Butler, of Holloway. CRADOCK.—On the 7th inst., at Quorndon, Leicestershi re, Thomas Cradock, Esq., aged 68. FESTING.—On the 6th inst., at Maiden Bradley, Wilts, g• J. Festing, Esq., aged 72: GORE.—On the sth inst., at York, Mrjor Henry P. Gore, late 6th Foot, aged 38.' GAuNTLETr.—On the 7th inst., the Rev. Fred. Gauntlet, rector of Fladbury, aged 74. LANCASTER.—On the 7th inst., at Middleton House, Fresh' water, I. of Wight, R. D. Lancaster, Esq., Commander, R.N., aged 79. London : Printed and Published by WILLIAM ANDREWS , of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at TIIE SUN Office No• 1 12 . Strand, in the Precinct of the !savoy, in the COUJitY o f iiiicidlesex,- - Wednesday, September 9 1863