The Sun. — London, England, 1863-09-29 00:00:00

The li iebels and the Imperialists in China, (Pt om an Occasional Correspondent of the Times.) SHANGHAI, Aug. 5. Mailer Gordon has wrested another walled city from the hands of the rebels—Wokong, lying di rectly south of Soochow. He left Quinsan do the 25th of Tilly, and appeared before the walls on the 28th , laving captured two strong stockades en rouge,, at a piece called Kapoo. The usual earth y° rk.s had been thrown up outside the east and wres'c gates, which the rebels manned as the disci ied troops approached, showing symptoms of an intention to make a vigorous defence ; but their (I( ;termination was not proof against the appearance o f a body of 500 men in their rear, and they cone tmenced a retreat towards the city, which a vigorous charge by the 6th Regiment converted into head long flight. Having thus cleared the country Gordon made dispositions for an attack on the city, but the rebels had lost heart ; a few shells were pitched at the walls without eliciting a single shot in. reply, and in a short time a deputation of man darins offered to surrender on condition that the lives of the garrison were secured. This was, of course, agreed to, and Wokong, with 3,000 prisoners, -passed into possession of the Imperialists, with a loss of only one European officer and 15 men killed and wounded. If the Imperialists are able to hold Wokong its capture will be of considerable import ance, as its position on the Grand Canal enables its Possessors to interrupt communication by that route between Soochow and Hangchow, and further pre cludes an irruption of the rebels into the country around Soonkiong, unless they venture to leave Quinsan and Wokong in their rear, which, judging from their antecedents, they would certainly not venture to do. But a report was current in the settlement yesterday that he had already been obliged to abandon it and concentrate on Quinsan. Indeed, to separate a force of only 3,000 men by a two days' march in the face of the powerful garrison at Soochow would be the extreme of rashness, espe cially es that garrison has received an accession of trength which will render the tenure even of (transom problematical. For some time rumours have been afloat in Shanghai that an expedition was preparing in aid of the rebels, that Europeans were being; enlisted, and arms collected under the auspices of G en. Burgevine ; but every one desired to think they a untrue, loth to believe that a man who had earl ied so much respect as Burgevine undoubtedly hats should have allowed himself to be drawn into a condemned cause. Unfortunately there is no longer room for doubt; Burgevine him etilf is believed to be in Soochow at the present moment, together with many of his old officers, who have left on one ground or another since his seces sion from the command. Hayes, Gibb, and Rhode, .all formerly in command of regiments of disciplined Chinese, are said to be his right-hard men, and he has, besides, about 300 Europeans of all sorts, some as officers, some as fighting men. The question - now is, will the rebels give him and his officers suffi cient power ? If they do, there is nothing to pre vent a force equal to Gordon's in quality, and far superior in numbers, from being raised within the next three months, and all the latter's generalship will not enable him to maintain himself against greatly superior numbers of equally good troops. Hit herto the rebels have not given any command to tench Europeans as have joined them, employing them merely as counsellors to their chiefs, and profiting by their knowledge of gunnery. But it is unlikely that Burgevine would have joined them unless the position he was to occupy was clearly defined, and was such as would enable him to discipline and direct men with out interference. In the meantime, until he has succeeded in instilling a certain amount of organi zation into a sufficient number, Soochow is safe ; the disciplined Chinese would never take a breach defended by 300 Europeans, even if Gordon were to risk an attack; and the latter's hope of fright ening them out by scouring the country in their rear must ba at an end, for Burgevine will dispel their fears. latterly, until the present moment, the rebel cause has been declining, but it is not un likely that the accession of so much strength and military knowledge may enable them to recover all their lost, ground. The present is perhaps one of the most critical crisis of the rebellion, and if the British authorities do nut act with energy may eventuate in the return of the rebels to the gates of S'eianghai, and the loss of all the country that after so l'.ard fighting has been wrested from their hands. Burgevine commenced his new career by a very dashing act. Dr. Macartney, late his military secretary, now a military mandarin in the service a the Futai, and in command of Sooukiong, went -up hence to that city in a small steamer called the Kiachao on the evening of the Ist inst. He left her about a hundred yards from the walls and rode to wards the west gate, but had hardly passed over halt The distance when one of the Europeans who had, been left on board ran up breathless to say that argevine, with about 30 Europeans, had seized the steamer. Dr. Macartney hastened into the city to turn out the troops, and then galloped back to the -entrance of the creek, where he had left a large barge as he passed up, hoping to be able to sink her across the entrance bofore the steamer could reach it ; but she had left, the Kiachao passed safely out, and is now, doubtless, under the walls of Soochow. The brilliant successes which Major Gordon had achieved with the handful of men whom the jealous - parsimony of the Futai allows him had afforded strong ground for hope that, with Sherard Oeborne's powerful aid, the extinction of the Taeping rebel lion would not be long delayed. The limits within which they held power were being gradually drawn tighter around them, and if only the mandarins could have been induced to grant Gordon a larger force there would have been little doubt that the close of the wet cold season would have found them confined to the close neighbourhood, if not within the walls of Nankin. In Chekeang their case is still worse than in Kiangse. After overrunning a great portion of the province with extraordinary rapidity, they have been compelled, almost equally rapidly, to abandon it. Since Ningpo was recap tured, in May, 1862, Tzechee, Fungwha, Yayaou, Bhangyu, Shaoshing, and Shaotsan, have succes 'ively been recovered, besides other cities of minor tite. The country to the south of Hang-chow ' D M' and of the Tsientang has been completely cleared of their presence, and Hangchow itself, the Mel city in their possession, lies an easy prey to th e Imperialists' as soon as they can collect sufficient energy to march against it. But the jealousy and antipathy to foreigners of the highest local %nth • ority cramps the movements of the disciplined Chinese in Chekeang as much as parsimony here he, prevented Gordon's operations f i. one bearing their full fruit; The Futai, of Ningpo, is one of the old, exelusive, anti-foreign school, and v i ew s with intense jealousy y the presence of foreigners in military command 'within his Government. The disciplined troops are to o formidable for him to dis band ; besides, the rich merchants of Ningpo, the principal source s of his revenue, are happily more alive than he to their value, e„ txt. he indulges his spite by refusing to allow theta t o undertake any offensive operations. Teere are two distinct bodies of disciplined Chinese in the Ningp o provinces, one Franco-Chinese, of 1,500 men, under the command of d'Aigabelle, formerly an officer in hisimperial Majesty's navy, which garrisons Shaoshing mui the country thence to the Hangchow Bay; th e ether Anglo-Chinese, consisting of 1,000 men, command e d by Colonel Cooke , formerly on e of Ward's o ffi cer s , which garrisons Ningpo, and likewise keeps an eye on Yu ye ( Yie, Fungwha, and Tzechee. The former, to use al • Ck-i r iese expression, stinks in the nostrils of both mandarins and inhabitants; the subordinate officers are lawless and unscrupulous, and the men are only' too willing to emulate p ro p ens ities of the lootin g their superiors, The Taotai is very anxious that they should go to Chapoo, capture it and garrison it, by which means they would be removed to one corner of the province, out of his way ; but they demur, and the Futai objects to their having the opportunity of , c ei n g. The Arglo-Chinese arc in much better odour, are better officered, and kept well in hand ; the Tao tai would be delighted to get rid of the French and increase the strength of this contingent if he could accomplish that object. It is by this force co operating with Gordon's that some of the principa l parts in the autumn p . cam aign would have been played, had not Burgevine disarranged every plan. The Futai is now before a not very large but strong and well-garrisoned city named Foyang, which has delayed him for the past three months, and which he is bent on taking before attacking Hangchow. He will not allow the disciplined troops to either assist him or advance against Hangchow by them selves, so Col. Cooke will probably leave this city on his left, attack Chapoo, and march northwards to act in conjunction with Gordon. In the meantime Gordon is in straits from want of proper supplies of ammunition, which General Brown declines to give him, because the Chinese Government have not yet paid for previous supplies lent them. Anxiety to secure payment for whatever munitions of war he may disburse is doubtless, in the abstract, commendable ; but it may be carried to an extreme and become the reverse of economy in such a case as the present. The disciplined Chinese are the security on the strength of which it was judged possible to withdraw a regiment of Eng lish and a regiment of native troops, and a battery of artillery from Shanghai, without endangering the safety of the settlement; and it is, therefore, of the greatest moment that the force should be kept on a thoroughly efficient footing. Great part of its strength is moral, arising from the prestige it has acquired, and one of the principal qualities which has contributed to the maintenance of this power is the energy of its movements and the force and rapi dity with which its blows were delivered. To refuse Gordon shot and shell is, then, to deprive him of the means of action, by so doing to lower his prestige, and, consequently, to weaken the pro tective force of Shanghai. Risking the non payment for a few thousand pounds worth of shot and shell is certainly preferable to risking the reflux of the rebels to the gates of Shanghai and the necessity for the maintenance of another English regiment to protect the English settlement from their inroads. The removal of the force from Soonkiong to Quinsan entailed the loss of a number of its oldest members, men who had accumulated money while in the service from loot, had opened shops, had families, &c., and did not care to desert all for a new city. The place of these has been to a great e xtent supplied by recruits from among the rebel prisoners. It is a hazardous experiment to place men yet warm from the enemy's ranks in possession of the arms and discipline which alone give superior strength to his own followers, bat Gordon says he can rely on them. If the rebels now s uccesses, however, their fidelity w ill beso g re a l i y n y t a r n ied. Dislike to removal from Soonkiong, however, is not the only reason for their leaving this contingent, as many have found their way to Ningpo and enlisted there, especially men from the Rifles, which Cooke commanded previous to taking command at Ningpo. Chinamen are incomprehen sible beings. Certainly Quinsan itself presents no very great attractions as a residence to counter balance the imminent prospect of an engagement at any moment with an enemy immensely superior in numbers, lying at an inconsiderable distance. The walls enclose a very considerable space of ground, including the Quin•san (Wonderful Hill), from which the city derives its name ; but the number of houses is small, and they are mostly of inferior quality. The city is old, and the walls are in many places dilapidated on the outside, but the rebels had very greatly strengthened the defences within, espe cially at the gates. At the Little West Gate two walls had been erected inside the outer one, the latter having also been much raised. The strength of the place consisted, however, principally in its water defences. From the West to the East Gate the walls are washed by the Soochow Creek—a broad canal, so called, which leads out of the Wong poo at Shanghai, and runs pest Kading, Tai-tsars, and Quinsan, to Soochow, and thence to Nankin. Other parts of the wall are also protected by moats, though of less width, and had Gordon not frightened the rebels out by his manoeuvres an assault would pro bably have been attended with great loss. Soochow is distant about 20 miles, and its walls are discernible on a clear day from the summit of the hill of which I have spoken. There is a pagoda on the top, which looks nearly as old as the hill itself, and the ruins of a joss-house evince the taste of the priests in selecting as a residence a spot where a cool breeze is always obtainable, even with the thermometer at 131 deg. in the sun, as it was on the day I visited the spot. An admirable view of the surrounding country with its network of creeks is, of course, commanded from it; but no busy population, no fields of corn, nor other sign of prosperity_ and cultivation meet the eye. A few wiles east of Tai-tsan, all signs of cultivation caase, the country is deserted, the fields are overrun with rank herbage, the creeks half choked with rushes and duck-weed, and the farm houses ruined and tenantless. The little plantations with which the latter are always surrounded give tokens of long neglect, the hedges are ragged and broken, the little creeks leading up to the houses choked with herbage, and the water-wheels lie rot ting by their sides. Everything betokens complete desolation ; the very birds seem to have deserted the district. Nearer to Soochow, I believe, cultivation reappears; but around Quinsan the country is still a desert. Only a small portion of the area enclosed by the walls is covered by houses ; large portions are overgrown with grass, others bear evidence of having once been the sites of considerable buildings; but these are now literally levelled with the ground. A number of tombs lie, or rather stand—for Chinese tombs are upright—immediately at the foot of the hill; but they, too, are ruinous. It is scant praise to say that Quinsan is less dirty than some Chinese cities I have been in, but it is the utmost that can be awarded it. Much is being done by its new possesors to clear away the rubbish which has accumulated in the principal streets; but the by lanes are, as usual, receptacles for every kind of filth. There are as yet few inhabitants besides the military and keepers of eating-houses, whieh spring up, as though by magic, in every newly conquered city. The latest news from Japan, though of warlike operations, is of peaceful tendency. The Dutch, Americans, and French have each had severe actions with the batteries at Shimonoseki, in the inland sea, and have each inflicted severe punishment on their adversaries. The Medusa was fired on in passing through the sea towards Yokohama; she slowly pursued her way, replying with effect to the fire to which she was subjected by the Japanese batteries and two armed vessels, and left after having been hulled 17 times and lost four men killed and five wounded. The Wyoming sought the encounter to revenge the attack on the Pembroke, but she, too, had to retire before superior force, after having planted an 11-inch shell in the boiler of the Lance field, which the Prince of Chosen recently bought for £125,000, and sunk the Lauriok. The French sent two steamers—the Tancrede and Semiramis— which silenced two batteries, landed an armed party and destroyed the magazines, and marched an armed party into the neighbouring town, to the mayor of which they notified that the inhabitants need be under no apprehension, as the only intention was to punish the batteries for an unprovoked attack on a French vessel. While they were ashore a strong force was observed marching down on them with several field-pieces; but a few well planted shell from the Semiramis had the effect of causing their retreat. Admiral Kuper was reported likely to proceed shortly to the Prince of Satsuma's territory ; so it is to be presumed that he and Colonel Neale have determined to look to him personally for payment of the £25,000 and surrender of Richardson's mur derers, which conditions yet remain unfulfilled. ADVERTISEMENT.]—Avoid medicines: they a always (,* ,gra `rate chronic complaints, but Du Barry's Delicious Health ite...fifty storing Revalenta Arabica Food, which saves times its tost in other remedies, invariably cures the m , restoring s . pure ett digestion, strong blood nerved , sound lungs, healthy liver, , refreshing sleep, functional to the most disorderedregularity, and energy of 60,000 'urea or enfeebled. We extract a few out Brehan, Parts, ot :—Cure Na 58,216 of the Marchioness de W a ith liver complaint, wasting away for seven years, debility, a nervous palpitation all over, bad dig estion, consta ntme ef i lessness the most intolerable nervous ag itation, and drenchuYl7 spirited.—Cure No. 1,771. Lord St u art de Decies, Lord L ut. of Waterford, of many years' dyspepsia. —No. 49,832. ~ from dyspepsia, nervous u iffy years' indescribable agony m , s and asthma, cough, constipation, flatulency, spasms , sickness,Mr. James Roberts of aria Jolly." —Cure No. .16,27 0 . thirty years' disease d lungs, pitti n g,l ° f PrtmleY, Surrey, of blood, liver derange • ment, and partial deafness.—Cure No 47,121. Miss Elizabeth Jacobs, of extreme nervousness, indigestion, o;6. gatherings, low spirits, and nervous fancies. — Cure No. 6 s T. Campbell, Fakenham, Norfol k, " of indigestion and torpi dity or the liver, which had resiste I all me dical treatment.' In tins, 1 lb., 2s. 9d. ; 21b., 4s. 6d ; 51 b. , lie. ; 121 b., 22. 4e.—Barry Du Barry and Co., No. 77 , Rege nt-s treet , London ; also on ; Fortnum and Mason ; and all Grocers and Chemists in every to 01 the thiited E1.11,70/31, THE SUN. LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 29, 1863 Disgraceful Proceedings near Guildford. GIIILDFOR.I), Monday Evening.—A riotous disturbance took place last night, resulting in serious injury to upwards of 30 persons, at a small village a mile from Guildford, known as St. Catherine's, being at the foot of a high hill on the Guildford and Portsmouth road. on the summit of which is situated the ruined church of St. Catherine. It appears that on the 4th October will recur the annual fair of the vil lage, and that on that day (Sunday), by virtue of the old charter, the landlords of the village "publics" are allowed to draw beer even during prohibited hours. The Sunday before the fair is known as" Tap-up Sunday," and a similar privilege is recorded. The village usually turns out in great numbers, and some little licence is taken by them in throw ing chestnuts at passers-by, which generally creates a good deal of merriment among the rustics, and has been good naturedly borne by those who have been thus dealt with. This year the larking has been carried on in a most inordi nate manner. Yesterday being Tap-up Sunday upwards of 400 young fellows, many of them being low characters from Guildford, assembled in the village, lining the road on either side in formidable phalanx; and when any peaceably in clined passenger approached they allowed him or her to get into their midst; they then closed in and inflicted both insult and injury. Mr. Piggott, dyer, and his wife, were driving through the village and were seriously hurt, Mrs. Piggott having her bonnet torn from her head. Mr. Bailey, of the County Magistrates' Clerk's Office, and his daughter were compelled to go through a very heavy shower of missiles, and the young lady is still suffering from the effects of her fright. Mr. Ellis, of Farncombe, near Godalming, and two other gentlemen who were in company with him, were roughly handled, one having received some bad wounds on his leg from kicks, and the other having their hats cora pletelysmashed and their coats torn to shreds . Miss Chartres, of Brighton, Miss Smythe , a nd several other ladies were rudely assaulted, one of them having her eye nearly cut out by a stone whilst turning round to appeal to her assailants to desist, and the others either losing their shawls or other articles of wearing apparel. Things got worse toward even ing. Several members of the county constabulary force made their appearance on the scene; but this was only the signal for a still more riotous demonstration than before; and it was considered advisable, even for the public safety, to leave the mob to their own course, and to prevent them having further victims by placing the police at convenient distances from the village and cautioning passengers against going on the turnpike road, and inducing them to pursue, for their own personal safety's sake, their journey by the river bank instead, though more circuitous. Several fugi tives from the insults of the mob were pursued, however, notwithstanding this precautionary measure ; and more than one case occurred in which persons who were pursued down the lane from St. Catherine's-hill were forcibly pushed into the water. At nightfall nothing could restrain the fury of the crowd. Mr. Shrubb, a resident on the Portsmouth road, was incautious enough to appeal to the better sense of the roughs, if they had any; but he was at once hushed by the loud groans they set up, and assailed with a shower of stones. They next proceeded to his residence, pulled up the whole of the palings of his property, and conveyed it to the top of St. Catherine's, whence they went to the cut ting between the two tunnels on the London and South- Western line of railway, where they carried off all the wooden raiNgs they could get at, and afterwards lighted a huge bonfire, hich was seen at a long distance on the sur rounding hi 11 5. 461:; county. Much other injury was done to both person a roperty, which has not as yet been officially reported. .he county constabulary, under Mr. Superintendent Parr, are diligently making every inquiry so as to bring the ringleaders of the disturbance to justice, and we have just heard that two or three men have been taken into custody. Should not the chief promoters of these disgraceful transactions be committed, it is feared that the usual demonstrations in this town on the coming anniver sary of Gunpowder Plot will assume a still more riotous aspect than they have hitherto been wont. RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE, LYNN AND SUTTON. Yesterday the half-yearly meeting of the proprietors was held at the offices, Bridge-street, Westminster; Mr. H. Tootal in the chair. Mr. BOND, the secretary, read the report, which stated that the works of the railway were now in rapid progress under contract with Messrs. Waring and Eckersley. Vari ous circumstances had contributed to the delay in giving effect to the act of incorporation. Among others was the necessity of obtaining a revision by act of Parliament of the obliga tion which imposed on the company of building a new and costly bridge at Sutton, and of destroying the existing one ; and, secondly, some modification of the terms also imposed on the company in purchasing the rights of the existing bridge owners for £22,500. By the amended act of last session, the obligation as to the bridge was repealed, and the company was authorised to use the existing structure, and, with the concurrence of the Cross Keys was proprie tors, £lO,OOO of the purchase money to them to be satisfied in paid up shares of the company. The act also extended the time originally granted for the purchase of lands and completion of the railway, but the directors anticipated that under the arrangements made by the contractors the rail way would be completed and ready for opening before Mid summer next. Terms had been made with the Great Northern Company for the sale, under the sanction of Par liament, of this company's undertaking to them, at a price equivalent to a clear net return of 41 per cent. on the ex • penditure of £117,000, which it was believed would suffice to cover all the liabilities of the Lynn and Sutton Com pany up to the completion and opening of the railway. Since the company was incorporated various circum stances had tended to augment the value of the line, as filling up an essential link in the communication between east and west, and by the completion of the Norwich and Spalding and Lynn and Hunstanton lines, and still more by the granting last session of the line from Peter borough via Wisbech to join this company's railway at Sutton-bridge, thus bringing the whole system of the Mid land Company into communication with the east of England and the Lynn and Sutton route. While, therefore, the directors looked with satisfaction to the completion of the arrangements with the Great Northern and this company, they had confidence in the intrinsic capability of the Lynn and Sutton line to realize a satisfactory return from the traffic which must inevitably flow over it. The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the report, commented on its principal points, and after some discus sion Mr. J. Hunt was elected a director in the room of Mr. Borthwick, resigned. The meeting was then made special, and resolutions were passed empowering the directors to borrow £33,000 for the general purposes of the undertaking, and the meeting sepa rated after a vote of thanks to the chairman and directors. of construction, it was believed, would be fully covered by the authorised capital, and the report was adopted, GREAT WESTERN OF CANADA. It appears that the directors of this company have been informed by their financial agent in Canada that the loss on through traffic, collected and converted, ascertained up to Sept. 12, 1863, amounted to 19,889d0l 97c (L 4,086 19s 7d), and that there remained a further sum of American funds for conversion at that date of 14,163d0l 76c. In addition to which there were balances in account with connecting rail ways still unadjusted. The New Chelsea Model Barracks. The new and extensive range of building, known as the New Chelsea Model Barracks, which has been erected on the eastern side of the road leading to Chelsea-bridge (having previously been handed over by the contractor to the mili tary authorities), was on Friday occupied by the Ist Batta • lion Scots Fusilier Guards, Col- De Bathe commanding, and tw3 companies of the Ist BattalionColdstream Guards. This magnificent building, which up to the present moment has cost about £120,000, has been erected of polychrome brick and stone, in the Romanesque style, by Mr. Higgs, the contractor, Lambeth, from designs by Mr. G. Morgan, the architect, and is fitted up with all tho modern conveni ences, and replete with every arrangement calculated to en sure an amount of comfort never yet obtained by the British soldier in the way of barrack accommodation. The barracks have a frontage facing the grounds of Chelsea Hospital of 1,050 feet, with a depth of about 40 feet, the average height being about 60 feet, while at each end of the main build ing, but detached from it, are wings, that at the north end containing the officers' apartments, with cellars, &e., the other at the south end being occupied by the non-commis sioned officers. In front of the barracks the ground between the road and the building is protected by a lofty iron rail ing, broken in the centre by a noble gateway, entering which, on the right, is the guard -house. The facade of the building is broken by seven pavilions, the central ono being pierced with a lofty and elegant archway, giving access to the ground at the back of the main building, and flanked by two lofty towers about 80ft. high, containing the clock and wind dial, vane, &c. Over the archway of the central pa vilion is a noble lecture room, and in the building on the left of this are the commanding officer's and court-martial rooms, while the portion next the central pavilion on the right is occupied by a splendid library. The barracks vary in height, containing in some portions three and in others four stories, the greater part of which consist of barrack rooms, with sleeping-quarters for the married sergeants overlooking them. The basement of the building has been so arranged that it may easily be converted into a rifle gallery, with a range of about 350 yards, though one would imagine that the con stant reports during practice would seriously disturb the comfort of the inmates above. Along the back of the bar racks, facing the parade, acovered arcade gives shelter while passing from one part to another. There are also, some yards from the back of the barracks, two detached buildings which will be used as dining-halls. These are each 100 feet long and 50 feet deep, and are furnished with cooking houses and other conveniences. In the southern rear of the barracks are the baths and prison—while a second contract has just been entered into for the construction of quarters for the married soldiers, canteen, with skittle alleys, ball courts, covered gymnasium, chapel, and laundries—the whole, with the buildings already completed and oocnpied, covering a triangular plot of ground of about 13 acres, bounded by the road leading to Chelsea-bridge and the Queen's and Commercial road's. When the new buildings are finished the total cost of the barracks will be about £lBo,ooo—money well spent, when our readers remember the inconvenience formerly attending the married and single life of the privates and non-commissioned officers of the British army. That state of things has now been altered, and with the occupation of the new building it is to be hoped a new era in the life of our soldiers has been inaugurated. New Mode of Steering Ships. The " long-shore" residents of the banks of the Thames as well as the denizens of the mass of vessels always an chored between Limehouse and Woolwich, must have been for some three or four weeks past speculating upon the ec centric gyrations of one of her Majesty's gunboats, appa rently indulging in a series of eccentricities very unbecom ing in a craft devoted to the serious purposes of warfare. The vessel thus speculated upon is no other than her Ma jesty's vessel Charger, of 60-horse power, which has been fitted by the well-known firm of Young, Son, and Magnay, of Limehouse, with a marvel of ingenuity in the shape of a screw, which will steer as well as propel the vessel, and which, bringing the whole power of the engines to effect the mancouvring of the vessel, her movements are correspond ingly rapid, even to spinning upon her own centre, and thus, as it were, waltzing up and down the river. Admiral Sir Edward Belcher and a few gentlemen con nected with the English mercantile navy, having been in vited on Saturday to witness a trial of the invention, the Charger proceeded down to Long Reach,„to test the new screw. The peculiarity of the screw is that a universal joint is placed within the hollow boss of the screw,which is thereby connected with the main shaft, the centre of gravity of the screw and the centre line of the rudder intersecting the centre line of the main shaft, so that the entire weight of the screw is borne by the shaft ; and by means of a tail or spindle to the screw projecting from the boss working in the rudder, or an iron carrier in lieu of rudder, whatever may be the movement of the tiller or wheel, it communicates an equal movement to the screw, which becomes net only the propelling but also the guiding power of the ship, as before mentioned. A series of most interesting experiments were performed to test the power of the screw in twisting the ves sel into every imaginable position, the result being unequi vocally satisfactory, and clearly demonstrating that it is no longer needful to apply double screws, hydraulic steering apparatus, or add any other extra complications to the ma chinery of a steamer, when by a wave of her own screw her motion can be directed and controlled at will. Revolving turrets will become obsolete if our present colossal screw line•of-battle ships can, by the application of this truly ori ginal contrivance, be made to revolve upon their centres, and deliver their entire broadsides alternately as fast as the guns can be loaded, and in as short time as the cumbersome turret with its single gun can be revolved and trained to the required position. The invention appears to have attracted the serious at tention of the Admiralty, as is evidenced by the grant of the gun-boat for the experiment, and we therefore hope to see the extensive adoption of this screw in the navy, for it may prove as valuable as an increase in the power of our guns, if it will render the vessels capable of being ma noeuvred with such rapidity. Admiral Belcher expressed his satisfaction at the prospect of one of the great questions of the day being solved in so simple a manner, and appeared highly pleased at the result of the experiment. The steering screw is the invention of Mr. W. J. Curtis, C.E., and the trial screw applied to the Charger was con structed by Messrs, J. and Dlyth, of Fore-street, Lime • house. GREAT NORTH OF SCOTLAND. The half-yearly meeting of this company was held at Aberdeen on Friday, Sir D. 11. Elphinstone in the chair. The report was held as read. The CHAIRMAN said that the traffic returns for the past half-year showed that the company was in an exceedingly favourable position. The increase was something like £1,700 notwithstanding the very bad harvest of last year. There had been a falling off under the head of agricul tural produce of £7OO. Since last meeting the company had entered the Clearing-house for a considerable portion of its traffic, and next month they would enter for the whole, so that they would bo able to obtain through rates on much easier terms for all goods sent by through traders. He then referred to the opening of the railway from Forres to Perth, and expressed his conviction that if that line interfered with the traffic (southwards) of the Great North, it would only do so temporarily. Alluding to the meeting held a fortnight back in connexion with the opening of the Highland line, and the gentleman who then presided, he said, although he differed from Mr Ellice ha many matters, he always looked upon him as one of the leading men in the country, who guided the affairs of the country in the most delicate crisis to which it was ever sub jected, and had left a name which was an honour to Aber deenshire. After some remarks by Mr. Stewart, the vice-chairman of the company, expressive of the willingness of the direc tors of this line to enter into amicable arrangements with the Scottish North Eastern Company towards effecting an amalgamation, the report and statement of accounts were approved. The following dividends were then declared, —upon the new shares at the fixed rate o; lfis per cent. per annum the new preference shares (B) at lOs per cent per annum ; the preference stock at £7 per cent. par annum ; and the original stock at the rate of £7 per cent. per annum. A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the proceed_ inge. DUMFRIES AND LOCKLRDY• This lino of railway, 141 miles in length, was opened for traffic on the Ist inst. It connects the Caledonian with the Glasgow and South Western, and opens up direct com reu nication from Galloway and Nithadale to Edinburgh, Leith, and the east and north of Scotland. The line has been con structed entirely from local resources, and will be wetted by the Caledonian Company for 30 per cent. of the traffic receipts. The seventh ordinary general meeting was held on Fri day; Mr. A. Jardine in the chair. The accounts sh owe d that the expenditure to Aug. 31 had been £111,022, and the receipts on shares and debentures had been £105,943. Th e chairman, in moving the adoption of the report, expressed his conviction that the traffic, when fairly developed, W ou ld yield an ample return to the shareholders. A working agreement with the Caledonian Company for 10 years was unanimously approved. .1i.;.7.4:=„ OTTOMAN (SMYRNA TO AIDIN). The half-yearly meeting of this company was h e ld yes terday at the London Tavern; Sir M. Stephenson in the chair. Mr. S. J. Cooke, the secretar y , havin g r ead the notice convening the rn ceti a g , the report w as tak en as read. The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of th e report, m sta ee te ti d n t g h s a o t f htthee company approved at th e recent special for obtaining the in creased capital requiredm unnecessary fresh to n m theirpletnethe the co HreacitliwonaytotroendAiedrin would bo suffi ciently any remarks from h present occasion, b eyond stating i co i o re that they would be sufficient for the purpose. The Ottoman Government had met the question in a just and liberal spirit c C Constantinople to as soon as it was expla ined to themb y Mr . Crampton, whose r ni under received which t p h e e rs n ev ew era c n a c p e it h al ad vi S o C u C onc l U:e b d e t g h u e a fu ra r n th t e ee r d c .4 es t s e i l o eng a announcedo th n e F a r m id bss a a y ador in L llowever much the London signed and sealed. they must all lament the unavcid a bl e length of time still required ondnesopfat the ch official ial documents, duly onstanti to complete the line, they had yet much to be satisfied with. The canal com petition was diminished, the revenue was increasing (the last week showing £761), the financial state of the whole country was improving under the able Ministers Fuad and Ali Pasha, gas was just introduced into Smyrna, cotton machinery was becoming generally employed, and the cul tivation of cotton was extending. Travellers could now see the ruins of Ephesus, and in a brief tour of a few weeks visit the classical and histcrical sights in the district ; the ancient Tralles or Aidin, the Meander, the Seven Churches of Asia, the plain of Troy, ratmos, and Athens on the route home. He referred to those facilities not in an vasthetic spirit, but because the inducements would weigh with travellers and augment the traffic receipts of the line. The route to India would assuredly be by a line through Constantinople, and the work was nearer at hand than was generally believed. This would place Turkey i n a pre-eminent position financi ally and politically, and he thought that only good results could attend it. With the new concession, the certainty of obtaining all the capital required, an efficient staff, an active contractor, and, he might add, an indulgent and reasonable proprietary, they need have no fear of a successful issue to their common labours: (gear.) Mr. W. DENT seconded the motion for the adoption of the report and statement of accounts, M r. B R 0%" thought the accounts did not show the exact position of the company's affairs, and that some items in them s hould be more explicit and stated differently. T c w e i ot i ou sd be HAIRmAN said th ere were runn i ng ( accoun t s , an d ti were settled th e resu l t cou ld not appear i n the general theyr° C alstatement. They cou ld o nly in ser t th e mone y re ceived, not that i n p rospect i ve. Th e suggest i ons o f M r. Browne should have th e attent i on o f t h e di rectors an d au dand he hoped by t h e nex t mee ti ng an i mprovement made, Th e report and st a t ement of accounts were t h en unani mously adopted, and the proceedings concluded with a vote of thanks to the chairman and directors. LLANGOLLEN AND COItWEN. The half -yearly meeting was held at Llangollen on Satur day, Colonel Tottenham in the chair. The directors re ported that constant progress had been made with the wor ks, that the operations in Berwyn-tunnel were proceed ing day and night, th at one port i on was a l rea d y use d f or t h e conveyance of goods, and that the other portions would be ready by the time the tunnel was completed. The report was adopted. VALE OF LLANGOLLEN. At the half -yearly meeting, on Saturday, at Llangollen, Colonel Tottenham in the chair, the report was adopted. The chief points in the report were that the railway had been safely and satisfactorily worked by the Great 'Western Rail way Company; that goods were now added to the passenger traffic, and that the accounts warranted a dividend at ihe rate of 3 per cent. ; but until the adjustment of a question which had arisen as to the terms of the working agreement with the Great - Western Railway Company the directors considered it expedient to postpone the declaration of a dividend. The question only applied to the past year. KIRKCUDBRIGHT. The fifth ordinary general meeting was held on Friday, Mr. il'Culloch in the chair. The report stated that it was expected the line would be opened for traffic in November. The statement of accounts showed that the receipts had been £45,546, and the expenditure £13,907. The line was about 10 miles in length, and would connect Kirkcudbright with the Dumfries and Castle Douglas, the Portpatrick, and the Glasgow and Soutli-Weatern Railways, The coat SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS. POST.—When Earl Russell, in acknowledging the hospitality with which he has been entertained at Blairgowrie, favoured the hosts with a review of the foreign policy of the English Cabinet during the period he has held his present office, he might congratulate himself on having pitched on a fruit ful theme. W hen Lord Palmerston's Administra tion was formed the war in Italy had not come to a close, and since then a revolution in the American Republic, an armed intervention in Mexico, and a widespread insurrection, extending over a con siderable portion of central Europe, have thrown more than an ordinary share of business into the office of the Secretary of State for Foreign Affeirs. With so many topics to which to refer, Earl Russell accordingly experienced little difficulty in making a long and interesting speech; and if he did not remind his hearers of the negotiations which he so happily conducted with the Govern ments of Brazil and Denmark, we can only attribute the omission to a natural unwillingness to refer to transactions in which his personal skill in diplo • macy was so singularly displayed. Poland and America of necessity constituted the staple of his discourse; and as the great issues raised in those countries still remain unsolved, the Foreign Secretary specially endeavoured to justify the policy hitherto pursued by her Majesty's Govern ment. Results not unfrequently supply the best justification for proceedings whose expediency at the time of their inception is problematical ; but as neither in the case of the American civil war, nor of the Polish insurrection, matters have reached that stage when the consequences can be accurately foreseen, it is not possible to employ the most conclusive of all arguments, that of jus • tification by events. In both these quarrels Eng land has observed the strictest neutrality ; and, however either of them may terminate, it is not diffi cult to show that the Government of this country deserve credit for having so far saved it from being embroiled in foreign disputes. If ultimately, how ever, this kingdom should find itself engaged in active hostilities, the question would of course arise whether so unfortunate a result might not have been averted by the prosecution, on the part of the Government, of a different policy. Events have fortunately as yet not flowed into this channel, and in the meanwhile it is neither unreasonable to congratulate ourselves on our present good fortune, nor unjustifiable to hope that we may henceforth steer clear of the many difficulties by which we are surrounded, and through which, under the ,guidance of the present Government, the vessel of the State has hitherto been so successfully steered. We have so frequently of late found it necessary to discuss the policy pursued by this country as well as be France and Austria in respect to the Polish question, that Lord Russell's allusions to recent negotiations may be dismissed with but 'Little comment. But one observation which he thought proper to make is so just and forcible that we cannot pass it by without remark. Having reminded his hearers that in his place in Parliament he stated that in his opinion neither the obligations nor the interest of England required that we should go to war for Poland, he went on to say—" Holding that opinion, I think it unbecoming of us to rail at Russia when we are not prepared forcibly to resist her aggression." Nothing can be more conclu sive. But, ou the other hand, may not one in quire, as in fact the French Cabinet is to day inquiring, why, holding this opinion, England took upon herself with other Powers to dictate to Russia the proper way of governing her domi nions? Was it "becoming" to accept voluntarily the office of censor, and in the same breath to declare everything wanting which could give weight to the reproof? These are questions not put by us, but put by Poland, in whose breast false hopes have been excited, and by France, who not unnaturally re sents the affront which has been passed on her, in conjunction with the other two Powers, by the Rus sian Government. No one doubts that it is not for the interest of England to go to war for Poland ; . but may it not well be impolitic to declare such event out of the bounds of possibility ? England derived no material benefit from going to war for Turkey nine years since ; but for all that she found herself obliged to invade the Crimea. We have never questioned the soundness of a policy directed with the view of pre serving England from being entangled in a European war, but we have feared lest such a result would be hastened instead of averted by frequent and posi tive assurances that stich - a contingency was utterly impossible. The course taken by the Government of this country in respect to the American belligerents has, except at W ashington and Richmond, met with universal approval. In recognising the South as belligerents we committed, as Earl Russell forcibly pointed out, no breach of neutrality. It was impos sible to treat the uprising of six millions of people as that petty rebellion and domestic disturbance which in the first instance the Government of the Northern States would have had us believe it to be. But independently of this consideration, our exten sive maritime relations rendered it necessary that the character of Confederate cruisers should be especially determined. If we did not re cognise the belligerent character of the Con federate States, we would have been obliged to treat their privateers as pirates, and by so doing would have most glaringly violated that neutrality we are so anxious to preserve. Nor does the oft-repeated assertion that the Con federates were rebels against the Union, even admitting its truth, furnish any ground for impugning the conduct of the English Government in acknowledging their belligerent character. It assuredly is not for the descendants of those who nearly a century ago shook off allegiance to the English Crown to cry down rebellion as of necessity unlawful. The peo ple of this country, as Earl Russell reminded his hearers, rebelled against Charles I. and James II.; and it was their descendants who, by rebelling against George 111., laid the foundation of the Ame rican Republic. It is not therefore withoat surprise that we hear from American orators and statesmen angry and oft-repeated denunciations of rebellion as the greatest of social crimes ; and we may well wonder at the singular aspect of a Government — the offspring of successful revolution, and theo retically absolutely dependent on popular suffrage— assuming the tone and adopting the language of Oriental despotism. It is the constant complaint of the Northern States that they are misunderstood. On this side of the Atlantic the true objects with which the war is protracted are not acknowledged, and the genuine philanthropy which counsels the extermination of a kindred race does not meet with the appreciation which it deserves. In extenuation we can only say that we employ to the best of our ability the judgment with which we are endowed. Battles have been fought extending over several days, and the slain have been counted by thousands, but when the accounts have reached us we have sought in vain for the evidences of that Christian spirit—that motive principle of this mighty war, which we have been so frequently called upon to admire, if not to emulate. We have been charged with taking pleasure in the continuance of hostili ties, and throwing obstructions in the way of an amicable settlement. We may well, to quote the words of Lord Russell, lose patience when charges of this kind are brought against us, not by an ill regulated press, but by men whose talents and edu cation have placed them in the foremost rank of American statesmen. We can well afford to disre gard misrepresentations so palpable as these ; but we cannot, without misgiving, look forward to a time when those representations may still obtain credence with the American people. How long the judicial blindness with which they are now afflicted may last no one can tell. We can only hope that when a war which has so completely distorted the judgment of an intelligent people shall come to an end, the American nation will acknowledge that they possess no closer friends or more sincere well wishers than that people from whom, and by no distant interval, they trace their descent. HERALD.—The long inaction of the great armies of the belligerents in America is at end. From Virginia and Tennessee we have intelligence of an approaching conflict. By this time iu all proba bility two great battles have been fought decisive of the respective campaigns in those states. The news is not unexpected. For some time past it has been rumoured that the Confederate troops were gathering iu Eastern Tennessee, and when the abandonment of Chattanooga and Knoxville with out a blow was announced, it was very generally surmised in well-informed quarters that the evacua tion of those important positions was not effected without a distinct strategical object, that an en counter between the two armies would sooner or later take place, and that a position so easily defen sible would not be finally surrendered without a tremendous conflict. It would now appear that the retrogade movement from Chattanooga was made with the two-fold purpose of drawing Rosecranz further from the base of operations, andof effecting a junction with reinforcements from the army o f Virginia. The accounts, it is true, aro somewhat obscure and perplexing. Au action is said to have taken place at Lafayette, Tennessee, iu which the Federate sustained a defeat. But a glance at the map alma that Lafayette, Iliauessee, is far in the rear of the Federal armies, and that the encounter must have taken place east or south-east of Chatta nooga, in the direction of Lafayette, in the state of Georgia. It was reported by the last mail that Rosecranz and Burnside had occupied Chattanooga and Knoxville; and it is hardly likely that they advanced so far with a Confederate force between them. The probability seems to be that the Federal advance from Chattanooga was continued with a view of feeling the enemy and ascertaining his strength, and that somewhere between this place and Lafay ette the Confederates encountered the invaders and drove them back. This supposition is strengthened by the announcement that Gen. Longstreet, with 20,000 men, had passed through Resaca, in the state of Georgia, and that a portico?, of his force had actually reached Lafayette. It was known that Bragg had retreated in a south-easterly direction, that a division or two of Johnstone's army had reinforced him, and that Buckner was on the Atlanta Road with another division. If our view be correct, their several forces have been concen trated in the vicinity of Lafayette, and have hand somely repulsed the Federal advance, compelling Rosecranz to resume the defensive, and even threat. ening his communications with their superior cavalry. We shall not be surprised to learn that the Confederate commanders, availing themselves of their interior lines of communication, have con centrated near Chattanooga a force equal, possibly superior, in numbers to the Federal army, and that Rosecranz's only chance is the naturally strong position he has taken up on Checkamanga Creek, a mile or two south of Chattanooga. By this time the battle has been fought. It is obvious that the Federals must fight at a considerable disadvantage, at a distance of 200 miles from their basis of opera tions, and that, while a Confederate reverse will only lose Eastern Tennessee, a Federal defeat may bring about the destruction of Rosecranz's army. In the meantime the Federals have made the best move they could make under the circumstances. Acting, apparently, on the information that Lee's army has been weakened by the withdrawal of Longstreet's division, the whole of Meade's army has advanced to the Rapidan, Lee's army may fight on the old battle-ground, or if it is too weak to risk an engage ment in the open field, fall back upon the impreg nable lines about Richmond. The Confederates have an enormous advantage in their railway coin munication, which enables them, as their necessities may dictate, to reinforce their Virginian or Ten nessee army It is quite possible that Lee will act entirely on the defensive, re use all offer of battle, and await at Richmond the issue of the struggle in East Tennessee. Placing the numbers of the Confederate soldiers in the field at 300,000, we can are no reason why there should not be in this quarter a force quite sufficient to account for Rosecranz, and yet leave Richmond amply protected. I Ve must, however, wait for further news before we venture to discuss Lee's move ments. The Federals have always been singularly misinformed respecting the operations of their op ponents. It is quite likely they have been deceived on the present occasion, and that Lee may not have sent one man South, the object of the rumour being to entice Meade from a strong position, and induce him to become the assailant. Under any circum stances a battle is imminent, and the next mail may bring us the most momentous intelligence that lias yet reached us from the seat of war. From other parts of the Confederacy the news is decidedly favourable to the South. Gen. Gillmore is making little or no progress at Charleston. The Federals had been repulsed in an assault upon Fort Sumter with a loss of one-third of the attacking force in captured alone. The besieged had mounted two enormous Blakely guns which had somewhat awed the crews of the iron-clads. Forts Moultrie and Bee held out bravely; and a tremendous fire was kept up on the Federal position on Morris Island from half a dozen batteries. It is significant that we do not now hear that the siege of Charleston is " progressing." The invasion of Texas has not commenced auspiciously. Two gunboats have been destroyed or captured at Sabine Pass in the Gulf, and the rest of the expedi tion has returned. The neighbourhood of Opelonsas and the country of the Teach() are occupied by Con federate troops, and will offer a stout resistance to Federal progress. We shall not be surprised to team that here, too, the Federals have met with a surprise and a defeat. On the whole, the prospect is brightening for the Confederates, despite Mr. Seward's boastful anticipations. It would be pre sumptuous to attempt to forecast the issue of the grave results now pending, but at least there is no reason to despair of the fortunes of the South. TIMES.—It is now some time since a long vaca tion speech has been directed to questions so im portant and interesting as those just discussed by Lord Russell at . :,dlairgowrie. In the fearless and candid address which we yesterday reported his lordship explained without reserve the foreign policy of the Government, and, though we derive from that exposition much assurance and much satisfaction, we see also by how slender a thread the peace of Europe may at any moment hang. The Russian question, serious as it is, we may at once dismiss, for, though Lord Russell intimates that the recent acts of the Imperial Government may entail weighty consequences, he repeats the declaration that Eng land will not go to war with Russia for Poland, and it is tolerably certain that Russia will not go to war with England for anything else. The Mexican question, too, may be safely put aside. As we are not proposing to interfere with the Mexicans in one way or the other—either to constitute a Govern ment for them, or to protest against any which we may find constituted and accepted—we can hardly incur any serious obligations in that quarter. But the case is, unfortunately, different when we come to the belligerents of America. Both Federals and Confederates are dissatisfied with our neutrality, both discontented with the position which they oc cupy in our eyes, and both angrily desirous of some thing which we cannot give them. The letters of our correspondent in the Southern States will have prepared the public for the question of which Lord Russell now speaks as raised botween the British Government and the Confederate authorities. It was an important question beyond a doubt, and none the less so because it involved a principle of great interest to ourselves. The blockade which now closes the Southern ports forms the most effective engine in the hands of President Lincoln and the most formidable obstacle in the way of President Davis. The possible interruption of this blockade by one of the Powers of Europe has been the dread of the North and the hope of the South ever since the war began. At length the Southern Government made a formal protest, and demanded of us that, in pursuance of doctrines to which this country had assented, the blockade should be declared ineffective. President Davis alleged not only that the blockade, as a matter of fact, was con stantly eluded, but that it must in itself, as pro fessing to extend over 3,000 miles of coast, be prac tically unsubstantial and imaginary. Now, here again, as on many occasions during the American war, we found ourselves confronted with one of the old questions which in times past we had discussed at the cannon's mouth. It was the interest of a maritime belligerent such as Great Britain to stretch the privileges of blockaders, and to put the greatest possible stress,upon an enemy at the least possible cost. It was the interest of neutrals to limit these privileges, and to reduce the system of blockade to the dimensions of strict reality. It could not be allowed, they said, that a maritime Power should merely proclaim a port blockaded. She must actually blockade it, so that access is rendered almost impossible, and that obligation would con veniently curtail her power of interfering with neutral commerce. We had recently adhered to this doctrine, and the Confederate government accordingly challenged our judgment on the actual effectiveness and consequent legitimacy of the Fede ral blockade. Lord Russell's exposition of the principles maintained by Government will certainly satisfy the public. He did not deny that a blockade of 3,000 miles of coast must at intervals be imper fect, but he took the common sense view of the case in pronouncing it a good and effective blockade according to the spirit of international law. If, in deed, it were not so, it would follow that no exten sive blockade could be possible at all. The Federal States have satisfied the reason of the case by throw ing their whole energies into the operation, and the exceptional instances in which the blockade is eluded are only sufficient to prove the rule of its reality. There followed another question of more present and visible importance. The Government of Washington complained of the escape of the Alabama from a British port, and were threatened, it is said, with war in case any more vessels of a similar character were sent to sea from this country. Within the last month her Majesty's Government has ordered the detention of two vessels lying in the Mersey, and destined by report for the service of the Confederates ; so that while the law of the case is doubtful, and oven the facts uncertain, it might seem that England had been shaping her course rather by a sense of fear than a conviction of right. That idea, however, Lord Russell's speech strives to dispel. We cannot say that we think the law on this point so plain as the advisers of the Crown seem to supposio, and Lord Russell's exposition of it is the one weak part of his remarkable speech. It appears from his lordship's words that the perplexi ties of the Government in the matter have arisen not so much from the obscurity of the law as from deficiencies in the evidence of facts. The law officers of the Crown, we are informed, did say that the Alabama could be lawfully detained, but not until it was too late to detain her. In like manner Lord Russell now states, as beyond dispute—though many are inclined to dispute it—that if we allow any vessel to depart armed from our ports and attack a foreign belligerent, we are virtually taking part in the war. In the case of the suspected vessels in the Mersey there is a now and curious feature created by the incidents of modern warfare. These ships are steam rams—that is to say, ships constructed for the purpose of destroying other ships by the impact of their iron prows. They carry, therefore, their armament in their very form and build, and are virtually armed vessels before they have got a single gun on board. This brings them, according to the advisers of the Crown, even while empty, within the scope of the law; but, though Lord Russell, in reviewing all these circum stances, promises that right shall be done, he de' Glares in the plainest and most uncompromising language that not the slightest concession or sur render shall be made to threats. "We will not adopt any measure that we think to be wrong. We will not yield a jot of British law or British right in consequence of the menaces of any foreign Power." These words, which were received by the audience with the loudest applause, should be proof sufficient that the honour of the country runs DO risk in the hands of her Majesty's Governmen t. But the feature of his lordship's speech which will commend itself most readily to the public is the homely common sense and practical honesty which pervades every portion of the argument. Though the Foreign Secretary cannot pretend to neglect the letter of the law, Lord Russell is far more solicitous about its spirit. His rule is evidently sought not so much in the pars of jurists as in the golden maxim of moralitYr "Do as you would be done by." He puts England in the position of the Federal States, and asks what we, if we were so circumstanced, might be expected to do. Having satisfied himself on that point, he proposed that the Federals should be allowed to do the same, and when the Americans are capable of forming a calm and unbiassed judgment of our policy they will give us credit for these good inten tions. At present, unhappily, they are in no imp partial mood, and it is seldom, indeed, that a Mini" ster of State has been compelled to speak of the opinion of a foreign country in language so strong as that used by Lord Russell in describing the speeches and writings of Americans. He acknow ledged the impartiality of the Federal Government and the reasonableness of Mr. Seward himself, but of American orators in general, and of Mr. Sumner in particular, he could only say that their efforts directly tended to plunge two great countries into war. Of that contingency the Americans may noW learn our thoughts from the mouth of a Minister whose words will find a faithful echo in the breasts of his countrymen. England will use every effort for the preservation of peace ; sbe will do " every thing which she thinks just and right" towards Americans, but she " will be ready to meet attack if unjustly attacked, and ready to bear her part in the contest, if contest there must he." COUNTRY MARKETS. GLOUCESTER—SEPT. 26. - The show of English wheat to-day was moderate, and the attendance small. Farmers were unwilling sellers, 1 1 a reduction of IS per qr on the currencies of the last week• Foreign wheat was again very dull, and at fully is per qr decline. Barley, beans, and oats were without change. COLCHESTER—SETT. 20. There was a less supply of wheat to-day, but quite equal to the demand, and the rates of last week were about is per qr lower. Barley of fine quality realised late prices; other sorts is cheaper. Beans and peas as before. NV heat,! white 44s f.OB 1 Beans, Mazagan..3 33 $ 9 red 42s 46s middle & 5ma11.353 3" Barley Oats I CHELMSFORD—SEPT. 25. At this corn exchange to-day there was a fair supply of wheat, most of which changed hands at last week's prices , but in some cases a reduction of about is per qr had to be submitted to. There was no alteration in otter articles , with a heavy trade. Wheat, old white...3os 47s new ..44s 48s old red....36s 42s new 40s 448 Barley 265 36s Chevalier ..28s 398 Grinding 22s 31s Malt.... 61s 67s Chevalier 64s 69s Oats 2os 28s Yeas, Partridge 37s 405 White 39s 40s Boiling .. 40s 435 D un 33s : 65 Ditto new —s .—s Beans, Tick, ,1d 343 39s new -6 --s Harrow Ticks . 4 ,35 8 405 new —s - - ° I Mazagan e, 30s 39 KIRKCALDY GRAIN—SEPT. 26. Wheat. Barley. Oats. First....3ss Od I 27s Od I 22s Od Second ..36s Od 28s Od 23s 6d Third....42s Od 31s Od 25s Od To-day we had good supplies of all descriptions of grain at market. The trade was inactive, Barley Is and oats Gd per qr under last week's rates. COAL 11 Prices of Coal per 'eon a s. d. Byass's Bebsido West Hartley ...16 9 Walker Primrose 12 3 Carway;, and Duffryn Malting . 2O 0 Eden Main l7 9 Holywell 17 3 Lambert's West Hart- ley 16 6 Wylam l7 0 Co wpm Hartley 16 9 AftKET. the close of the market. Ships at mark, s . d. Walls End. Haswell l9 0 H e ugh Hall 17 9 17 9 South Kelloe Hetton 19 0 I Braddylr s Hetton Framwellgate.. l7 6 Tunstall Caradoc lB 3 Russel's Hetton lB 3 KeiperGrange l7 9 Riddell ........17 3 )t, 44; sold, 44. Foreign Mail Packet List. MAILS DUE. Australia and Mauritius, via Southampton....... Oct. 19. via Marseilles .. Oct. 13. Brazil and Cape Verds, by British packet. . Oct. 6-, Cape of Good Hope, Ascension, and St. Helena.. Sept. 20* China, Penang, and Singapore, via Southampton.Oet. 2. via Marseilles ...Sept. 27• Falkland Islands Gibraltar, via Southampton .. Oct. 2. India (Calcutta), and Ceylon, via Southampton Oct. 2 via Marseilles Sept. 27• India (Bombay), via Southampton Oct. 1 1 ' via Marseilles Oct. 5 . Portugal.... Oct. 5 . Malta, Egypt, and Aden, via Southampton Oct. 2. via Marseilles Oct. 11,' Newfoundland .. Sept. €'`" Oporto and Vigo U. S. and British N. America, ty Brit. packet.... Sept. 303 by U.S. packet.... by Canadian packet. Oct. 2. W.C. of Africa, Madeira, and Teneriffe .. . . Oct. 10. Bahamas, via New York Mexico ... . Sept. :4 8 . All parts of West Indies, including Chili, Peru, } Sept. 2 S' California. and British Columbia.. DESPERATE ENCOUNTER BETWEEN A STAG AN D A GILLIE.—An incident has lately occurred at stag chase in the forest of Glenavon, which causes cone!' derable alarm among keepers and gillies. Mr. John Mort!" son, Glenavon, an athletic youth of 17, had occasion to OP a brace of hounds at one of the antlered monarchs of the mountain near the summit of Ben-y- Baird. The chase wee truly exciting, and prosecuted with such swiftness and vigour as only stag and hound could do. It extended ove r some miles, until one of the hounds compelled the noble animal, for the sake of his lacerated haunches, to turn and keep him at bay. Assisted by his skill as huntsman in taking a near cut to the place which was most likely to be the field of engagement, the nimble-footed mewl' taineer came in sight of the stag and hound struggling desperately, and on observing that his trusty hound wag coming off second best in the match he bounded with renewed alacrity to his rescue. By this time the hound was in a great measure exhausted, in consequen ce of the effusion of blood which followed the =le t ' ring blows dealt by the stag with his antlers, and in allPr e ' bability helwould soon have become the victim of his exile: perated foe. The youth rushed in the face of the infuriate; animal, and applied his massive bludgeon with might An d main, which in a few rounds was flying from the substaa' tial horns of the stag in splinters in every direction. Being now, by the loss of his bludgeon, in a defenceless conditioat his antagonist sprang upon him, and with one jerk heave d him over a large stone like a bundle of straw, and he scarcely had got to his feet when the desperate animal was coming with the finishing stroke. It was now do or die. Convill' eively he seized the animal's horn with his left hand, while with his right he thrust his skien dhu into his heart, and thus terminated his career.—Elgin Courant. Births. CLAYTON.—On the 23d inst., at Gloucester, the wife of Captain Clayton, author of "Ii l'illegrino," &G., of daughter. RIBBLESDALE.—On the 26th inst., at Paris, Lady Ribil les4 dale, of a daughter. RYMEB..—On the 27th inst., at North•end, Croydon, 1*(1 ' YOTING Samu On the 24th in Lee Rymer, o nst ~ f a so at The Limes, Croydon -corr n. mon, the wife of D. fill Y o un g , Esq., of a daughter' . Marriages. ft HILL* TIIOMPSON.—On the 28th lust , at Saint p eter Church, Walworth, Mr. Henry Rill, .of Camberwell, to Sarah, second daughter of Mr. Thomas Thompson - POLE—LANDS.—On the 24th inst., at St. George's, Car y terbury, Sir Peter Van , Notten Pole, Bart., to Louisat third daughter of the late Samuel Lands, BET, 1:185 India Company's C.S., Bombay. Deaths. • CIIITTY.—On the 28th inst., at Walham-green, Ed ward Chitty, Esq., of Lincoln's-inn, aged GO. late CALD WELL .—On the 2Cil inst., Wm, Caldwell, Big of Customs, aged 72. DASIIWOOD. — On the 24th inst., at Halton, Sir J. Richard Dashwood, Bart. B. D. a 49. FABER atory On the 26th inst., at The Or,, Lged ondon, the Very Rev, Frederick William Faber, FiNcEL—On the 24th inst., at Bordeaux, Frederick Finch, Esq., of Shahporeondae, Tirhoot, W Ben ga, aged 01. MACKAY.—On the 20th inst., at 1 4, estbourno-par terrace, Lieut. Colonel. Angus Mackay , late 21st I.I„N.D' Fusiliers. London :Pr 'in and Pal,!ialied by WILT...TAIT ANDIOCO' of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at THE SUN Office No. 11 ' Strand, in the Precinct of die 'Savoy, in the Conat l4 Middlesex,— Tpsday, eeptemDer 29,1180.: 0 IVil Btat T I !Cori LIQ TI I)ep, to T' tin g tor amc Nal Mr. Che busi and pun sub! are beer exp Tav vac sue and ant ber yo th. Ivl da sti th