The Sun. — London, England, 1863-12-08 00:00:00

Smitb .field Club Show in the Agricultural A. nation that, in addition to all its textile, mine ral, rand other industries, employs other £200,000,000 ate cling of tenants' capital in the production of corn an( meat, and many millions more in the manufac tur of machines and manures which entice mother ea] ?•th to bestow good gifts upon her hungry child reti, may well be proud and conservative of its agri culture. English husbandry has its colleges, its huge sod eties, its fine implement factories, its model dre inage works, its scientific farmsteads, and its last grg 3at achievement is tillage by steam power —many bu ndreds of ploughs and cultivators now following thi 3 wire rope along the deep farrow or through the rai )idly-riven staple either of clay or lighter soil ; wt. lie Egypt, the West Indies, France, and other cot Intries have success f u ll y adopted these i nventions. • But a bounteous harvest, with its concomitants of a bad market, has confirmed the fallacy of John Bull's far ming mainly for bread-corn ; and when he has got his malt tax reduced and all his other grievances righted, it will still be in the fat-stock show that the t ruo exponent of his progress must be found. It is the British farmer's especial business to supply joints and steaks and chops and rashers to an im mense shopkeeping and manufacturing nation; and consumers as well as producers are directly inte rested in such wonderful displays as that now col lected in Islington Agricultural-hall. Let our citizens cultivate an acquaintance with the men who feed them, and good must result, should it be only a mutual combination against those ignominious purveyors to metropolitan appetite who poison us with fles:nmeat unslaughtered or diseased. If the large number of visitors in the Hall yester day afternoon is any index of the gathering that may be expected to-day, and for three following days, at; an admission fee of is., the attendance will In the morning the show be cxc eedingly large. was honoured with a visit by his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, the Crown Prince of Prussia, and the Duke of Brabant, who were dulyice.p receivedre. by the President , Lo rd Walsingham; the v sident, the Duke of Richmond; the President el ec t, Lord Tredegar ; Mr. Brandreth Gibbs, the hono. rary Secretary ; Mr. Sidney, the Secretary to the Hall Company ; and by the stewards and judges. As a whole, the Show is fully equal to any of its predecessors; in number of entries, superior to any yet seen at Baker-street or Islington, the cattle classes alone comprising 240 animals, or more than 60 in excess of last year. The Devons have come up with about their usual excellence. Mr. Robert Wortley's prize steer is a good beast, with some weight as well as quality about him; Mr. Heath's prize ox, a rare specimen of meat, well developed in all its best parts, cover ing an expanded frame upon fine bone. General Rood's second prize ox, from the Royal farms, though splendidly fed, is too narrow in the hind quarters of roasting beef, and some critics will pre fer the E ar l o f L e i cester ' s third prize ox. Mr. John [o verman's first-prize cow, " Fanny," is more like a model of what a Devon should be ; Mr. Heath's aecond-prize cow, too lumpy with fat; and General Hood's third-prize cow, " Hyacinth," heavy, with Splendidly firm ripe meat. The Herefords made a grand show, and seem de termined to tread very closely upon the heels of the shorthorns. Last year was the glorification of the cross-breeds ; this time both the chief honours have been won by pure breeds—the silver cup for the best ox or steer in the Hall being won by a Here ford, and the silver cup for the best cow or heifer by a shorthorn. Mr. Heath's ox, which was not shown at Birmingham, is extraordinarily:full of good points, and one of the best animals exhibited of late years. Mr. Aidworth, Mr. Symonds. and Mr. Phil lips also exhibit animals of considerable merit. The younger, or steer class, is not so commendable, the three prizes going to specimens of only moderate quality. General Hood's, here, first, was not even noticed by the judges at Birmingham, and Mr. Shieley's second prize beast won the first prize in Bingley-hall; but no good critic can disagree with the present award. of merit. Owing to illness the gem of this breed, Mr. Groves's heifer, which took the Birmingham prize as the best Hereford, has so fallen off that she has gained here only a second prize; the first place being taken by Mr. Bettridge's heifer, " Young Beauty," which was second at Bir mingham. General Hood's cow, from the Royal farm, is of beautiful quality, but nut of any great 'weight or dimensions. Shorthorns make a great feature in the hall. Mr. Baker's Birmingham gold medal ox is here again the best male animal of his breed, though yielding the championship of the hall to the Hereford. Mr. Thompson's first prize steer was only highly com mended at Birmingham ; and the Duke of Beau fort's steer, which won the third prize there, is here placed so low in the scale as to get no honour at all. Exceedingly good shorthorns are shown by Lord Radnor, Mr. Hulbert, Mr. Sisman, and Mr. Thompson. Mr. Swinnerton's second prize ox has many deficiencies in spite of its great fame and weight of flesh; and why is a " commendation" given away to a somewhat narrow, flat-sided, and hollow-backed white steer from the Royal farm ? Mr. Swaisland's very perfectly finished heifer, " Oakbud," which gained the gold medal as best female and the Innk eepera' plate as best animal in Bingley-hall, here stands aga in without a rival, winning the silver cup as best female in the show. She has both Bates and Booth blood, -w ith an intermingling of Mason and Cartwright notwithstanding her wonderfully even ac eurlation o f fl es h, p ossess in g th a t p rec i se firm to felelet elasticity of touch which a judge likes we miss in her the rare charm of cha racter, The and the handsome head and fine docile eye, I nnrior s t y l e , so note d i n Si r Ch ar l es Tempest' s each," and Colonel Towneley's " Vic toria" and g Butterfly," of a few years back. Mr. Stratton , s i s li t tra r t a h w i l t rry heifer is very Mr. Faulkner's pretty, and rare cows heifer, also, of great merit. Three made a somewhat difficult task for the judg es in Th a e. .hau r ,s c . l n ass. .Mr. h Lynn's very handsome but loosely though first at Birmin g t: ta i g Mr. cow Abbott's tt' se cond,ere mr. o s fa irl y third; and both eclipsed bt, Matthew's level, handsome, fine-boned "Bea u ty; , There There is an extensive and capital show of the use ful red Sussex cattle. Norfolk ano , Suffolk polls about an average in q uality. In the L onghorn classes improvement we have a conside rable in merit, though the number of entries is small. Th e Scotch cattle classes are exce edin g ly fine. Mr. sue_ West Highland (the Bir min g ham "best ScoY.u,, with red-brown shaggy coat , and spreadin g hor ns is one of the most extraordinary animals this b reed wonderfully d eep has produced—one square, thic k, framed carcass, all prime beef, as it wen©, almo st to the hoofs. The Scot c h polls are also ex ceedingly good, Mr. M'Combie's great Aberdeen be in g first, and Mr. Heath's rare Galloway second —both p l ace d as at Birmingham. Mr. Sewell Read sh ows a good Irish ox, and Mr. Bennett a very good Welsh runt. Among the cross-breeds, the best are Mr. John Over man's large Devon and shorthorn, partaking of the latter eiaracter ; and Mr. Allan Pol,ok's admirable cross between a shorthdro and Galloway. The sasses cf Extra Stock are very large, and so are some of the animals exhibited ; bat quality, rather than mere bulk, wins the palm, Mr. Birkbeck's Devon and Mr. Packe's white heifer taking the two prizes. Mr. Giblett shows a good Alderney, and Mr. 'Whitby a greater curiosity in the shape of a pretty red and white Brittany milker. i --, eviewing all the cattle classes, we may charac terise them as presenting few animals of the highest order of merit, an d, w hil e di st i ngu i s h e d f or genera l excellence, not, carrying this superiority through out ; that is, the classes are good, but there are, un fortunately, evizal instances of plain and very ordi nary butcher s ' to remember that we Not every exhibitor seems want economy in flesh, the best-grained roasting Parts with a minimum of weigh,"—that l ik e r steaks j u i c y an d t en d er , and not like pieces out of a portmanteau, "warranted solid leather." O n e feature observable in these yearly exhibitions of live stock is the fluctuatin g ,r ather than steadily merit of the gold-medal b easts, and the beet sheep and sw ine. . advancing You cannot go year after year to the Smithfield Club marvels, and pronounce each to be better and more valuable than its predecessor of 12 months before, nor is the prizewinner of to- day always a striking improvement upon the winner of several years ago. Now, it may not be true that our nearly perfected breeds are restorations of arche types which existed in Paradise; we cannot infer that Adam's noblest oxen were short-horns, that luscious Highland beef was chosen for his own eat ing, while Eve, in pastoral innocence, milked an Alderney; neither can we conclude that the rarest mutton and veal in that age of blissful perfection appeared in the form, say, of an Oxford Down. But from the slight apparent improvability in our best specimens it is evident that future achievements must consist in raising the general character of our stock rather than in heightening individual excel lencies. Every beast of the herd and each sheep of the flock must approach the ;highest standard of early maturity, of propensity to dev3lope the best parts, and proportion of profit for the food consumed. A still more difficult task will then remain—namely, the preserving of robustness of constitution and im munity from disease in animals forced and pam. pered in unnatural conditions for the supply of an importunate market. Coming now to the sheep, we find that the Lei cesters ern by no means numerous, although Lord n B e rners, Col, Lowther, and Mr, Fol of unusual character and quality. i N fub eve er showbefore pen in the history of the club have the Cotswolds cut so sorry a figure as on the present occasion; only two entries are made in the appointed class, and from these the prizes are very properly withheld. Mr. Prnoorsttenropbalortaianldlybseaavoetisfotbe credit ofthe l broad - back aok e breed o rienetdhwe class t l h a s a t) of Extra Stock. Mr. Cranfield, Mr. Marshall, and Mr. Codling exhibit some pretty good Lincolns ; ais ha Lord isagain and the Romsey M arsh sheep exhibit signs of con siderable improvement.iom w g c o nqueror among the South Downs, carrying off the silver cup for the best Down sheep. Those three ahearlings weigh 49st. 12ib. (imperial) live weight; while the prize pen last year weighed 46st. Mb. With about equal quality the Merton sheep combine greater sub stance. Lord Walsingham is also first in the class of sheep under 2001 b. in weight, second in the class of old sheep, and wins the silver medal in the Extra Stock Class of Ewes. Both the Duke of Richmond's second prize sheep and the Earl of Radnor's third prize sheep in the two young wether classes show very good breeding and high character of their re spective flocks ; the Goodwood first prize older wethers are especially fine and well covered with mutton. Mr. Rigden, of olden renown, is not a competitor, owing to his official position in the club this year. Among the Hampshire and Wiltshire Downs, noted for their large proportion of lean meat, Mr. Canning's magnificent prize pen is by far the most meritorious. Some excellent sheep in this class might have been very well passed over, instead of honoured by the judges, if clipping animals into shape is to be discountenanced. The Shropshires are particularly good, bat here some of the Birmingham decisions have been com pletely reversed. Mr. Henry Smith's splendid first prize shearlings, with rare backs and legs of mutton, were only commended at Birmingham; while Lord Wenlock's second prize sheep were first at Birming ham ; and again, neither Mr. Thorley's first prize old wethers nor the Earl of Aylesford's second prize sheep were even commended at Binglcy-hall, while Mr. Foster's and Mr. Holland's are not noticed at all at Islington. The Shropshires also win the day in the Extra-stock class. The new Oxford breed is in small force, but the specimens are very fine, carrying great weights of good mutton and wool. Among the cross-breeds, so valued in a show of animals for the butcher, Mr. John Overman's Lei cester-and-Down and several pens of Cotswold-and- Down are the most meritorious. In some cases the sheep are most unfairly trimmed, the fleece mani festing an extraordinary power of accommodating the length of staple to undue prominences and de. pressions in the contour of the carcases clothed. It appears very desirable that the shepherds, and indeed the herdsmen in general, whose animals win prizes should share with their masters in the emoluments and honours of the day. It is stated that Lord Walsingham, conscious of his dependence upon the faithful care and skill of his shepherd, has handed to him a very handsome check, and the Smithfield Club might perhaps adopt with benefit the French custom of rewarding servant and exhi bitor together—say with a bronze medal and a sove reign to the actual feeder of each prize anima,. The show of pigs is not more extraordinary than usual. Gen. Hood's three white pigs, bred at the Royal Shaw-farm, which take the gold medal against ail comers, are certainly extraordinary for syme try in their fatness ; Mr. Morland and Sir Thomas Leonard's whites and Mr. De la Rue's blacks are of very great merit, and Mr. Stearn, Mr. Druce, the Countess of Chesterfield, Mr. Crisp, and other cele brated breeders exhibit pigs fairly representing the wonderful precocity and perfection which have been attained of late years. Of the great collection of machinery, roots, seeds, specimens, and so on, we must speak in another paper. Those progressist members of our agricultural societies who are fond of battling with grievances and anomalies would do well to agitate for a uniform reckoning of the age of the animals. Cattle ought to compete with cattle on something like an equa lity of age—the measure of their respective opportu nities for feeding; but all sorts of difficulties and disadvantages arise from different societies adopting different natal dates in arranging the several classes. The calving day of the Highland Society is the Ist of January; of the Bath and West of England Society, the let of June; of the Royal Agricultural Society, the let July; of the Birmingham and Midland Coun ties Society, the Ist of September; of the Smithfield Club, the Ist of December. To place all breeds on an equal footing is impossible, because the great breed ing season or one may either follow or precede that of another; but all might compete upon the same terms if the several societies adopted one fixed date —say the Ist of January, as in the Herd Books and in the Racing Calendar. In these days of adjust ment of perplexing weights and measures to an im perial standard the rectification proposed can hardly be delayed much longer. Another point also asks attention. We have ob tained the boon of a five-shilling first day—no, only half a day, for the doors were jealously guarded until " after two o'clock," when the judges had " finished their awards." Unless the Smith field Club has too much dignity to follow after pro vincial societies, we may in the course of a lew:years actually witness public judging here as we now enjoy it everywhere else. Does some peculiar at mosphere render perception of good points more difficult at Islington than at Birmingham ; or are judges more corruptible, or metropolitan visitors %u! the fou r th es t a t e gen tl emen o f s i gns an d t ypes ta r ° meddling and obnoxious here than elsewhere ? Admission at two o'clock instead of eight at night i 5 erts,i c ty :01:1 an improvement ; but if early pub reporters, md serve the interests of the show, rate, might be allowed an entrance, a cata!og ne , a _ n n T a nds list of the judges at the time those part : , their inspection. gentlemen com mence will have plenty of business , n i tTel u r n h t a r n y ds dude; At e week besides visiting the agricultural Hell. Inr- Coleman's Farmers' 0 the Smithfield Club meet ing and Farmers' Club din ner to. Club lecture last, night b th d e inner, th e e at the Royal 7; and to-morrow Cultivation Agricultural Society, Hall, and the Sal Company's P inithefieteilned:Cliocluf meeting in St. lecture at th e 4nies : B Society of Arts— agriculturalest loses no time in st rengthening and inter and Mr. Morton's rengthening and enlightening itself on the occasion o.c its great annual rendezvous. The following are some of the princip a l prize s awarded CATTLE. DE VON BREED. CLASS I.—DEVON STEERS, NOT EXCEEDING 3 YEAR S OLD—First prize of £3O, to Mr. Robert Wortley, of Sufield hall, Aylsbam, Norfolk—second prize of a'.:2o, to the Earl of Leicester, of Holkham, Wells, Norfolk—and third prize of £lO, to Mr John Overman, of Burnham, Sutton, Norfolk. CLASS 2.— DEVON STEERS OR OXEN, ABOVE 3 YEARS OLD—First prize of £3O, to Mr. Win. Heath, of Ludham hall, Norwich—second prize of £2O, to Major-General the Hon. A. N. Hood, of Cumberland-lodge, Windsor—and third prize of £lO, t o th e E ar l o f L e i cester , o f H o lkham, Wells Norfolk. CLASS 3.-DEVON HEI'ERS, :NOT EXCEEDING 4 YEARS THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, bECEMBER 8, 1863. OLD—First prize of £25, to Mr, Ram Ford, jun., of Rush ton, Blandford, Dorset—second prize of £l5, to Mr. Walter Farthing, of Stowey-court, Bridgewater, Somerset —and third prize of £lO, to Mr. William Smith, of Exeter. CLASS 4.— DEVON COWS, ABOVE 4 YEARS OLD—First prize of £25, to Mr. John Overman, of Burnham, Sutton, Norfolk—second prize of £l5, to Mr. William Heath, of Ludham-hall, Norwich—and third prize of £lO, to Major- Glen. the Hon. A. N. Hood, Cumberland lodge, Windsor. HEREFORD BREED. CLASS S.—HEREFORD STEELS, NOT EXCEEDING 3 YEARS OLD—First prize of £3O, to Major• General the Hon. A. N. Hood, Cumberland-lodge, Windsor —second prize of £2O, to Mr. Richd. Shirley, of Bancott Munslow, Churoh Stretton, Shropshire—and third prize of £lO, to Mr. Henry Bet tridge, of East Hanney, Wantage, Berks. CLASS 6 —HEREFORD STEERS OR OXEN, ABOVE 3 YEARS OLD—First prize of £3O, to Mr. Wm. Heath, of Ludham hall, Norwich —second prize of £2O, to Mr. Wm. Symonds, of Lambourne, Rcmford, Essex—and third prize of £lO, to Mr. William Aldworth, of Frilford, Abingdon. CLASS 7,..—HEREFORD HEIFERS, NOT EXCEEDING 4 YEARS OLD—First prize of £25, to Mr. Henry Bettridge, of East Hannay, Wantage, Berks—second prize of £l5, to Mr. Win. Groves, of Walk-mills, Shrewsbury—and third prize of £lO, to Mr. Chas, Hunt, of Widemarsh, Hereford. CLASS B—HEREFORD COWS, ABOVE 4 YEARS OLD— First prize of £2O, to Mr. George Pitt, of Chadnor- court, Dilwyn, Leominster—second prize of £l5, to Major-General the lion. A. N. Hood, of Cumberland-lodge, Windsor—and third prize of £lO, to Mr. Joseph S. Draper, of Thingehill grange, Hereford. SHORTHORNED BREED. CLASS 9.—SHORTHORNED STEERS, NOT EXCEEDING 3 YEARS OLD—First prize of £3O, to Mr. John Thompson, Badminton, Chippenham, Wilts—second prize of £2O, to the Earl of Radnor, of Coleshill, Highworth—and third prize of £lO, to Sir A. de Rothschild, of Aston Clinton, Tring, Bucks. CLASS 10.—SHORTHORNED STEERS OR OXEN, ABOVE 3 YEARS OLD—First prize of i3O, to Mr. William H. Baker, of Cottesmore, Oakham, Rutland—second prize of £2O, to Mr. Robert Swinnerton, of Weddington-grove, Nuneaton, Warwick—and third prize of £lO, to Mr. John B. Thomp son, of Anlaby, CLASS 11.—SHORTRORNED HEIFERS, NOT EXCEEDING 4 YEARS OLD—First prize of £25, to Mr. Charles Swais land, of Crayford, Kent—second prize of £l5, to Mr. Richard Stratton, of Stapelton. Bristol—and third prize of £lO, to Mr. John Faulkner, of Burton-on-Trent, Stafford. CLASS 12.—SHORTHORNED COWS, ABOVE 4 YEARS OLD —First prize of £25. to Mr. Thomas Matthews, of Merton, Thetford, Norfolk —second prize of 115, to Mr. John Lyan, Stroxton, Grantham, Lincoln—and third prize of £lO, to Mr. Charles H. Abbott, of Long Ashton, Bristol. SUSSEX BREED. CLASS 13.--SUSSEX STEERS OR OXEN, NOT EXCEED ING 3 YEARS OLD—First prize of 120, to Mr. John Shoo. smith, of Berwick, Lewes, and a second prize of £6 to Mr. William Wood, of Crawley, Sussex. CLASS 14.— SUSSEX STEERS OR OXEN ABOVE 3 YEARS OLD—First prize of £25, Mr. J. M. Montefiore, Worth park, Crawley, Sussex-.second prize of £l5, to Mr. William Botting, of Hurspierpoint, Sussex—and third prize of £lO, to Mr. Edward Cane, of Berwick-court, Lewes. CLASS 15.— SUSSEX HEIFERS OR COWS, OF ANY AGE — First prize of £2O, to Messrs. John and Alfred Reesman, of Angmering, Arundel, Sussex—second prize of £l5 to Mr, John Shoosmith, of Berwick, Lewes—and third prize of £lO, to Mr. Pennington Gorringe, of Battle, Sussex. NORFOLK OR SUFFOLK POLLED BREED. CLASS 16.— NORFOLK OR SUFFOLK POLLED STEERS oR OXEN, OF ANY AGE.—First prize of £l5, to Mr. R. J. Oliver, of Docking, Norfolk—and second prize of £lO, to Mr. Robert Wortley, of Suffield Hall, Aylsham, Norfolk. CLASS IL—NORFOLK OR SUFFOLK POLLED HEIFERS on Cows, OF ANY AGE—First prize of £l5, to Mr. Wm. Mullen, of Knapton, near North Walsham, Norfolk; and second prize of £lO, to Mr. B. Collins, of Hunston, Is worth, Suffolk. LONG-HORNED BREED. CLASS 18 .. -- LONG-HORNED STEERS OR OXEN, OF ANY AGE.—First prize of £lO, to Mr. R. H. Chapman, of Upton Nuneaton, Warwickshire—and second prize of £5, to Mr. Wm. T. Cox, of Spondon, Derby. CLASS 1 9.—LONG-HONED HEIFERS OR COWS, OF ANY AGE — First prize of £lO, to Mr. Joseph H. Burbery, of Kenilworth, Warwick— and second prize of £5, to Mr. W. T. Co; of Spondon, Derby. SCOTCH HORNED BREED. CLASS 20.—SCOTCH HORNED STEERS OR OXEN, OF ANY AGE.---First prize of £3O, to Mr. Ralph Sneyd, of Keele hall, Staffordshire—and second prize of £l5, to Mr. Allan Pollok, of Lismany, Ballinasloe, Galway. CLASS 21.—SCOTCH HORNED HEIFERS OR COWS, OF ANY AGE —First prize of £l5, to Mr. Richd. Eastwood, of Clitheroe, Lancaster. SCOTCH POLLED BREED. CLASS 99 POLLED STEERS OR OXEN, OF ANY A GE. - -Firet prize of £3O, to Mr. William M'Combie, of Tillyfour, Aberdeen—and second prize of £l5, to Mr. Wm. Heath, of Ludham Hall, Norwich. CLASS 23.--SCOTCH POLLED HEIFERS OR COWS,OF ANY AGE.—First prize of £l5, to the Earl of 3outhesk, of Kin naird Castle, Brechin, Forfarshire—and second prize of £lO, to Mr. James Stewart, of New-market, Aberdeen. IRISH BREED. CLASS 24.— IRISH STEERS OR OXEN, OF ANY AGE— First prize of £lO, to Mr. Ciare S. Read, of Plamstead house, Norwich. CLASS 25.— IRISH HEIFERS OR COWS, OF ANY AGE— First prize of $lO, to the Earl of Darnley, of Cobham-hall, Gravesend, Kent. WELSH BREED. CLASS 26—WELSH STEERS OR OXEN (RUNTS), OF ANY AGE—First prize of £2O, to Mr. Barwell E. Bennett, of Rugby, Northampton—and eecond prize of £lO to Mr. H. Platt, of Bryn-y-newadd, Bangor, Carnarvon. CLASS 27—WELSH HEIFERS Olt COWS, OF ANY AGE — first prize of £lO, to Mr. Clare S. Read, of Plumstead house, Norwich. CROSS OR MIXED-BRED CATTLE. CLASS 28—CROSS OR MIXED-BRED STEERS, NOT EX CEEDING 3 YEARS OLD—First prize of £2O, to Mr. John Wortley, of North Walaham, Norfolk—and second prize of £l5, to Mr. James Stewart, of New-market, Aberdeen. CLASS 29—CROSS OR MIXED-BRED STEERS OR OXEN, ABOVE 3 YEARS OLD—First prize of £2O, to Mr. John Overman, of Burnham, Sutton, Norfolk—second prize of £l5, to Mr. John Tingey, of Little Ellingham, near Attle borough, Norfolk—and third prize of £lO, to Messrs. J. and W. Martin, Aberdeen. CLASS 30—CROSS OR MIXED•BRED HEIFERS, NOT EX CEEDING 4 YEARS OLD—First prize of £l5 to Mr. Allan Pollok, of Lismany, Ballinaslow, Galway —and second prize of £lO to Mr. Robert Farthing, of North Petherton, Bridg water, Somerset. EXTRA. STOCK CATTLE. STEERS OR OXEN—Silver Medal and £5 prize to Mr. R. Birkbeck, of Gatton, Reigate, Surrey. HEIFERS OR Cows—Silver Mtdal and £5 prize to Mr. C. W. Packe, M.P., of Loughborough, Leicestershire. LEICESTER SHEEP. CLASS 31.—FAT WETHER SHEEP OF THE LEICESTER BREED, ONE YEAR OLD (UNDER 23 MONTHS)—First prize of £2O to Mr. G. S. Foljambe, of Osberton-hall, Worksop, Notts—second prize of £l5 to the Hon. Colonel Lowther, of Barleythorpe-hall, Oakham, Rutland—and third prize of £5 to Mr. Richard Lovell, of Knapton, Mahon, Yorkshire. CLASS 32.—FAT WETHER SHEEP OF THE LEICESTER BREED, ONE YEAR OLD (UNDER 23 MONTHS). EACH SHEEP NOT TO EXCEED 220L8. LIVE WEIGHT.—First prize of £2O to Lord Berners, of Keythorpe-hall, Leicester — second prize of £l5 to the Hon. Colonel Lowther, of Barley thorpe-hall, Oakham, Rutland—and third prize of £5 to Mr. Lawrence Willmore, of the Newarke, Leicester. LINCOLNS. CLASS 34.—FAT WETHER. SHEEP 01' THE LINCOLN BREED, ONE YEAR OLD (UNDER 23 MONTHS)—First prize of £2O to Mr. Wm. Cranfield, of Buckden, Huntingdon shire--second prize of £l5 to Mr. Thos. B. Marshall, of Branston, Lincolnshire—and third prize of £6 to Mr. Joseph Wyles, of Welby Warren, Grantham, Lincolnshire. CLASS 35.—FAT WETHER SHEEP OF THE KENTISH OR OMNEY-MARSH, OR ANY OTHER DISTINCT LONG WOOLLED BREED (NOT LEICESTERS, COTSWOLDS, OR AANCOLNS), ONE YEAR OLD (UNDER 23 MONTHS)— First prize of Xl5 to Mr. Frederick Murton, of Smooth, Ashford, Kent —and second prize of £lO to Mr. James Newport, of Elmsted Court, Ashford, Kent. EXTRA STOCK. LEICESTER WETHERS.—SiIver Medal to the Hon. Col. Lowther, of Barleythorpe-hall, Oakham, Rutland. LEICESTER EWES,—Silver Medal to Mr. John Lynn, of Stroxton, Grantham, Lincolnshire. LONG .WOOLLED SHEEP NOT LEICESTERS).—SiIver Medal to Mr. Thos, Porter, of Baunton, Cirencester, SOUTH-DOWNS. CLASS 36.—FAT WETHER SHEEP OF THE SOUTH .DOWN BREED, 1 YEAR OLD (UNDER 23 MONTHS).—First prize of £2O to Lord Walsingham, of Merton-hall, Thetford—second prize of £lO to the Duke of Richmond, of Goodwood, Chi chester—and third prize of £5 to the Earl of Radnor, Of Colashill, igh worth. CLASS 37.—FAT WETHER SHEEP OF THE SOUTH DOWN BREED. ONE YEAR OLD (UNDER 23 MONTHS). EACH SHEEP NOT TO EXCEED 2001 b. LIVE WEIGHT— First prize of £l5 to Lord Walsingharn, of Merton-hall, Thetford—second prize of £lO to the Duke of Richmond, of Goodwood, Chichester—and third prize of £5 to the Earl of Radnor, of Coleshill, Ilighworth. CLASS 38.—FAT WETIIER SHEEP OF THE SOUTH DOWN BREED, Two YEARS OLD (ABOVE 23 AND UNDER 35 MONTHS).—First prize of £2O to the Duke of Richmond of Goodwood, Chichester—second prize of £lO to Lord Viralsiiagham, Merton-hall, Thetford, Norfolk—and third prize of £5 to Mr. John Overman, of Burnham Sutton, Norfolk. HAMPSHIRE OR WILTSHIRE DOWNS. CLASS 39.—FAT WETHER SHEEP OF THE HAMPSHIRE OR WILTSHIRE DOWN BREED, ONE YEAR OLD (UNDER 23 l'iloriTnB )-- First priz e o f £2O to M r. Wil l i am B. Can ning, of E lston -hill, W. F. Ben nett, of Chilmark, Devizes --second prize of £l5 to Mr. Salisbury—and third prize e' RwOnPTSIIPEEitIR 'SHEE P BREED. tr £5 to Mr. Willi am Xing, o f H ungerford, Berks. ... CLASS 40. F S A R T BREED, ONE YEAR OLD (rrillyc- ....TRE SHROPSHIRE .. Of £l5 to Mr. Henry Sir , , 4 .lo MONTHS)-- First prize .0411, of Shiffnal, Shropsbirs —and second prize of £5 to Lord Wenlock, of Much Wenlook, Shropshire. CLASS 41.—FAT WETHER SHEEP OP THE SHROPSHIRE BREED, Two YEABS OLD (ABOVE 23 AND UNDER 35 MONTHS)—First prize of £l5 to Mr. Thomas Horley, jun., of The Fosse, near Leamington, Warwick— and second prize of £5 to the Earl of Aylesford, of Packington-hall, Coventry. OXFORDSHIRE BREED. CLASS 42.—FAT WETHER SHEEP OF THE OXFORDSHIRE BREED, ONE YEAR OLD (UNDER 23 MONTHS)—First prize of £l5 to Mr. Arthur Overman, of Egmere, Brandon, Nor folk—silver medal to breeder, Mr. Leary, Bridgnorth— second prize of £lO, Mr. Z. W. Stilgoe, Banbury—and third prize of £5 to Mr. Samuel Druce, of Eyneham, near Ox ford. MOUNTAIN BREED. CLASS 48.—FAT WETHER SHEEP, OF ANY WHITE FACED MOUNTAIN BREED, OP ANY AGE—First prize of £l5 to Mr. J. B. Downing, of Holme Lacey, Hereford—and second prize of £lO to Mr. William Smith, of 85, Southern hay, Exeter. CLASS 44.—FAT WETHER SHEEP, OF ANY BLACK FACED OR SPECKLED - FACED MOUNTAIN BREED, OF ANY AGE—First prize of 415 to Mr. Richard Eastwood, of Whitewell, near Clitheroe, Lancashire—and second prize of £lO to Mr. Jonathan Peel, of Clitheroe, Yorkshire. EXTRA STOCK. SOUTH-DOWN WETHERS —Silver medal to Mr. Jonathan Peel, of Clitheroe, Yorkshire. SouTH-DoviN EwEs.—Silver medal to Lord Walsing ham, of Merton-hall, Thetford, Norfolk. SHORT WOOLS (NOT SO UTH-DOWNS).—Silver medal to Mr. Henry Smith, of Shiffnal, Shropshire. CROSS-BRED SHEEP. CLASS 45.--LoNG AND SORT-WOOLLED CROSS-BRED FAT WETHER SHEEP. 1 YEAR OLD (UNDER 23 MONTHS) — First prize of £2O to Mr. John Overman, of Burnham Sut ton, Norfolk—second prize of £lO to Mr. Thomas James, of Cople, Bedford—and third prize of £5 to Sir Thomas B. Lennart], of Romford, Essex. CLASS 46.—LONG AND SHORT-WOOLLED CROSS. BRED FAT WETHER SHEEP, 1 YEAR OLD (UNDER 23 MONTHS.) EACH SHEEP NOT TO EXCEED 220L8. LIVE WEIGHT—First prize of tlO to Mr. John Overman, of Burnham Sutton, Norfolk—and second prize of £5 to Mr, John Hatcher, of Bristol. EXTRA STOCK.—CROSS-BRED SHEEP. Silver medal to Mr. John Overman, of Burnham Sutton, Norfolk. PIGS. CLASS 47.—PIGS, OF ANY BRVED, NOT EXCEEDING 4 MONTHS OLD—First prize of £l5 to Mr. Thomas De la Rue, of Sandy, Beds—second prize of £lO to Mr. William Albert Barber, of Sunning-hill, Berkshire—and third prize of £5 to Mr. William Mills Barber, of Sunning-hill, Berk shire. CLASS 48.--PIGS, op A NY BREE D , ABOVE 4 AND NOT EXCEEDING 8 MONTHS OLD—First priz e o f £l5 to Si r T . B. Leonard, Romford, Essex—second prize of £lO t o th e Countess of Chesterfield, of Bretby-hall, Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire—and third prize of £5 to Mr. Samuel Geater Stearn, of Brandeston, Suffolk. CLASS 49.—PIGS OF ANY BREED, ABOVE 8 AND NOT ER CEEDING 12 MONTHS OLD—First prize of £l5 to Mr. G. B. Morland, of Abingdon, Berks—second prize of £lO to Mr. John Biggs, of Leighton Buzzard,Bedford—and third prize of £5 to Mr. Adolphus F. Slade, of Chislehurst, Kent. CLASS 50.—PIGS, OF ANY BREED, ABOVE 12 AND UNDER 18 MONTHS OLD—First prize of £l5 to Major-General the Hon. A. N. Hood, of Cumberland Lodge, Windsor—second prize of £lO to Mr. Thomas Crisp, of Buttley Abbey, Suf folk—and third prize of £5 to Mr. J B. Morland, of Abing don, Berks. EXTRA STOCK. BEST PlG.—Silver medal to Mr. Samuel G. Stearn, of Braudiston, Suffolk. SILVER CUPS. A silver cup, value £4O, to the exhibitor for the best steer or ox in any of the classes, to Mr, William Heath, Lind ham-hall, Norwich. A silver cup, value £lO, to the exhi bitor for the best heifer or cow in any of the classes, to Mr. Charles Swaisland, of Crayford, Kent. A silver cup, value £2O, to the exhibitor, for the best pen of Leicesters, Cots wolds, Lincoln, Kentish or other long-woolled breed, in any of the classes, to Mr. G. S. Foljambe, of Worksop. A silver cup, value £2O, to the exhibitor, for the beat pen of one -year old South •Downs, Hampshire, or Wiltshire downs, to Lord Walsingham, Merton-hall, Thetford, Norfolk. A silver cup, value £2O, to the exhibitor, for the best pen of Shropshire, Oxfordshire, cross-bred, or any other breed of sheep (not specified in prize list.) in any of the classes, to Mr. John Overman, of Burnham Sutton, Norfolk. GOLD MEDAL. A gold medal to the exhibitor, for the best pen of pigs in any of the classes, to Major-General the lion. A. N. Hood, Cumberland Lodge, Windsor. JUDGES OF SHORTHORNS, SCOTCH, 'WELSH, AND EXTRA STOCK CATTLE.—Messrs William Sanday, John Brown, and Thomas Parkinson. JUDGES OF DEVONS, HEREFORDS, SUSSEX, NORFOLK, LONGHORN, IRISH, AND CROSSBRED CATTLE,—Messrs. Robert Smith, John Buckley, and John Coleman, JUDGES OF LEICESTERS, COTSWOLD, LINCOLN, ROM• NEY MARSH, CROSSBRED, OXFORD, AND MOUNTAIN SHEEP.—Messrs. Marshall Hanley, John H. Phillips, and Francis Spencer. JUDGES OF SOUTH-DOWN, HAMPSHIRE, AND SHROP SHIRE SHEEP.—Messrs, Henry Webb, J. S. Turner, and C. Randell. JUDGES or PlGS.—Messrs. George Mann, John Moon, and John Waters. Extra Parliamentary Utterances. LORD HARTIN GTON. On Saturday evening the annual meeting of the East Lan cashire Union of Mechanics and Litetary Institutions and Evening Schools was held at the Town-hall of Haslingden —Col. Patten, M.P., presidi ng . Th ere were present Lord Bartington, M.P., Sir J. Kay- Shuttleworth, and a large assemblage of pereons of influence in the district. More than 1,000 people attended. Prizes were distributed to about a score of young women and girls and about 100 young men and boys belonging to the institutions of the union. It was stated by the chairman that the books awarded as prizes were selected by the recipients, and that the choice was most creditable to their intelligence. After an opening speech from the chairman, Lord HAirrixoTort, M.P., was called upon to move the following resolution : " That the number of scholars attending the evening classes throughout the union, notwithstanding the unpre cedented distress which has prevailed during the years 1862- 3, affords abundant proof of the permanent attraction which a well organised and efficient system of instruction has for the young men supported by manual labour in this district." In the course of his speech he said it would not be more idle and Quixotic to clothe oneself in an old suit of armour, and ride about in search of adventures, as used to do the knights of old, than to look within the limits of this country for that person who would seriously contest the proposition that education should bo as widely diffused as possible. (Applause.) But it has happened to me to travel in a country where I have heard clever and educated men throw grave doubts en the benefit which is conferred upon a country by an extended system of education. In no country is a good popular education more widely diffused New E ng l an d S tates; b u t I h ave heardthan it m i l— s their enemies, certainly—clever leaders of the Confederacy, gravely argue that a great many of what they consider the faults and vices of the Northern population have arisen from this so widely spread system of superficial education. I hope it is needless for me to say that I utterly disagree with those persons, or with any who can argue that popular education, if not productive of all that was hoped f rom i t, can have been pro d uct i ve o f ev il . Still, the fact remains that popular education is more com pletely diffused in th e N ew E ng l a nd States than in any other country; and yet, with ou t sa yi ng or wishing to say any thing hostile or w hi c h cou ld b e t a k en am i ss , I think th ere are very few Englishmen whose opinion is that the national character of New England is exactly what a patriot would wish the national character of his own country to be. The people are extremely clever and energetic ; but with the rapid and wide-spread civiliza tion of those States all travellers there who have taken the trouble to make themselves acquainted with the condition of society, have found that, while there is much to praise, there is also much to regret and to blame. I do not wish to bring a bill of indictment against the people of the Northern States. Nothing could exceed their kindness and hospitality to me, as I believe to all strangers, and I ac • knowledge that there is much to admire and praise in that people. But there is no doubt that in the Yankee charac ter—Yankees theywall themselves, and Yankees we may be allowed to call them—there is too groat a tendency to think too much of money-making, and to carry perhaps a little too far the cleverness and acuteness required in trade. The people undoubtedlyiposaess a somewhat exagge rated idea of the merits, not only of their own country, but of all the people who dwell therein ; undoubtedly they are somewhat arrogant, somewhat intolerant of opposition, and also they have not in this hour of their trial developed all the virtues—such as stedfastness, patriotism, and spirit of self-sacrifice—which have been sometimes found in other less cultivated nations when put to a similar trial. But I do not for a moment believe that the widespread popular education is the cause of any of these defects. (Applause.) I think we may find the causes if we look for them. The school education of American children is not in all cases very judicious. There is, even while the children are at school, a tendency to exaggerate everything, to make them admire more what is large than what is rood, and, above all, what is Amercan than what is hnything else. ig p h re t ve nt itsbeing so great be. fi u e nce gets goodtthat otherwise it whichm But it is wh en th e c hild ren leave scho:ol that the bad in- However widespread tb ,. tion I believe that after boys hav e l e o educ a' partof reading of school the greater the he people will be rt the read; _,Ay-nine hundredth s of t AD- ..ag of the daily press; and the daily p ress i n -.Arica, from reasons which it would take to o l ong to enter into here, is certainly not the intellectual food which tends to make a people great, or generous, or good. I be lieve, then, it is because rea ll y the educa tion of the people has not gone so far as to lay a solid foundation of good sense and good taste that they are, as a people not vigorous enough to reject the unwholesome intellectual food which Mosel:laws papers supply, and which has a most baneful effect on the whole North Americancharacter. Newspapers will always be a great portion of the intellectual food of a people,and our own are conducted in a verydifferent spirit. False and wrong their views may often be, but in general they are advocated fairly and temperately ; the arguments are addressed to the judg ment of the people, or 1 o the best and noblest, and not to the base and vulgar passions of humanity. (Cheers.) I trust that popular education will soon be far more universal than it is. I believe it to be as much a necessity of our age as air, water, or the food we eat. If in America education has not had all the good effects which it ought to have had, I say when the air we breathe is impure, or the water we drink is foul, we take measures to purify and to cleanse ; we do not dream of cutting off the supplies, and what we have to consider is not whether the people shall be educated or not, but how the fullest and purest education shall be afforded. (Cheers.) I believe institutions such as this may do much good I am glad to see by the subjects of examination that nothing very high is aimed at. What is principally insisted on is a sound structure of knowledge of your own English lan guage. If you can thus induce young persons leaving school, who have a natural taste for the acquisition of knowledge, to study some of the masterpieces of our language, either in poetry or in prose, you will have fortified in the most effec tual manner their minds against the reception of anything which is base, ignoble, or injurious. (Applause.) lam not going to imitate the Americans by exaggerating. I know we cannot by societies such as this reach the great masses of the people. It is only a very little way we can go, but our direction is good, and NI e do get hold of those young per sons leaving school who have a natural inclination to study, and whose minds, if not directed by such institutions as this in the right way might, on the contrary, be perverted to the wrong way. (Cheers.) Ladies and gentlemen, I am reminded by that part of the resolution which refers to the distress that in former years there were some pounds on which a comparison might be drawn between Lanca shire and the Northern States of America. Both coun tries excelled beyond any other in energy—both were making money faster—in both the manufacturers and capitalists were richer, and, I believe, the labouring population were better off than in any other part of the globe. In both the science of the application of ma chinery to the wants of mankind had reached a higher per fection than anywhere else; and in both that extension of the powers and use of machinery had exercised a marked and decided influence upon the public mind. May I be for given if I say that in both the subject of my comparison, perhaps, an impartial observer might have detected some of the same faults and weaknesses ? Perhaps in Lancashire, as in America, we have in former years been, if it is a fault, almost too self-reliant. Perhaps we have trusted too much to ourselves for the continuance of the prosperity which we so long enjoyed. Perhaps we have been a little wanking in sympathy with the feelings of the rest of England. Perhaps we thought that not only were we stronger and richer than the inhabitants of the rest of our country, but wiser, and that the time would never come when we should need their assistance. To continue the parallel, I am sorry to say that t o both at the same moment and from the same cause a heavy blow and great misfortune have occurred. But here the parallel comes to an end. While in America every day the war continues each side only learns to hate the other with still more bitter hatred, while the Northern States seem not content with the war they are waging at home, but look with distrust and suspieion on all countries abroad —countries which I do believe from the bottom of my heart do not wish or intend auy evil to them—in Lancashire, on the other hand, it was only when we knew adversity that we found out that the people of the rest of England were our friends and brothers. (Cheers.) Lancashire will not soon for get the heartine:s, the generosity, the spontaneity of the movement with which all England came to her assistance, (Cheers.) And England will not soon forget the heroism and fortitude with which Lancashire has borne her troubles. We know England better,and England knows us better,than any time the last 20 years; and if we have suffered it is worth something to feel we are heart and soul and hand in hand with all our brothers in this great nation. (Cheers.) While in America the prospect grows darker and darker, and every day of war seems only to push further onward in the future the final result, whatever it may be, here I trust we may say without boasting that we have passed through the blackest darkness of the night, and that calculations as rea sonable as can be made prove to us that after another win ter of less severe hardship we shall at last emerge again into something like our former state of prosperity, (Cheers.) One more point of interest, I think, there is. It was our good fortune to know at once, or very soon after this cala mity fell upon us, what wag to be its extent, and to be able to take measures to meet it. Lancashire was a strong man beaten down, almost paralysed for a time ; but life is slowly, though painfully, returning. But the other subject of my comparison does not know, even yet, what is the extent of her calamity. At this moment, I believe, nine-tenths of the people of the Northern States are enjoying a greater amount of apparent prosperity than ever they enjoyed before. I was astonished the other day to read in the speech —I forget whether of Mr. Cobden or Mr. Bright at Roch dale ; I think it was Mr. Cobden's—that not a citizen of the United States was the poorer for the war. I will not believe that either of those distinguished men could be so false to all the long-cherished doctrines and theories of their lives as to suppose there can be anything sound or real in the prosperity which that people are now enjoying. Do either of them doubt for a moment that for every hour of this false and inflated prosperity a dreadful reckoning must surely come ? No, ladies and gentlemen, I say that the utter pro stration which fell upon us was infinitely better—and we ought to thank Providence for it—when compared with the fatal prosperity with which the United States of America ate now cursed. It was far better for us to know at once and take measures to meet the calamity, and slowly and feebly to recover from it, than to go on recklessly, as those States are doing now, into a course which all thinking men must know can lead them to nothing but utter and complete national ruin. How long that day may be averted it is impossible to say—but if there is any truth in history, and if we can derive any information from its les sons, I think we cannot doubt, however much we may de plore, that a catastrophe such as the world has never seen must overtake that once flourishing and prosperous country. Alter some concluding remarks his lordship sat down amid much cheering, and the resolution was unanimously passed Subsequent resolutions recognised the success of the in stitution and of the science and art classes. MR. WILLIAMS, M.P. Last night Mr. W. Williams, in accordance with his usual practioe during the recess of Parliament, met his con stituents, in order to render an account of his stewardship during the past Session. The meeting was held at the Horns Tavern, Kennington. At 8 o'clock, when the hon. member entered the room with his friends, the large room was about half filled. Mr. Scretton having been voted into the chair, Mr. WILLIAMS proceeded to address the meeting, but spoke with so much feebleness and difficulty that in a few minutes he became inaudible, except to those upon and around the platform, The hon. member, who was warmly received, said that the past session had been a very laborious one, owing to the bad hours kept by the House of Commons. He would leave them to judge what a man must be fit for at 2 or 3 o'clock in the morning, when he ought to be abed and asleep. He had for many years endeavoured, in con junction with his friend the late Mr. Brotherton, to bring the sittings to an end at midnight. They had not succeeded, however, the Government stating that they would otherwise never be able to get through their business. What was the consequence ? Instead of 658 gentlemen on the benches there were seldom more than from 20 to 50 members in the House when bills of the greatest importance were carried, Those measures could not, of ci,urse, receive sufficient con sideration or investigation, and hence, to a great extent, the laws of the country were in a state of confusion, and a good deal of the time of one Session was spent in remedy ing the mistakes of the previOus year. If the House of Commons would do its business earlier in the evening, and adjourn at midnight, the country would get its Legislative business properly trauma ted, but not otherwise. (Hear, hear.) Although the session had been laborious, very few measures of great importance had been carried. The public Acts of Parliament had been 125 in number, and the private Acts 238. The most important legislative proceeding of the year was the reduction of taxation to the amount of £3,250,000, which had been effected by the Government. The largest item of relief was in the reduction of the income tax from 9d to 7d in the pound, and the next was the reduction of the tax on tea from is 5d to is per pound. He had been Very anxious that a further reduction should be made on another necessary of life—sugar ; but the Chancellor of the Exche quer stated that he could not then spare the money. Next session, however, he should remind him of the sugar duty, and he had little doubt that the Government would propose a large reduction. (Hear, hear,) Another important mea sure was that which consolidated various Acts of Parlia ment, The statute law of the country now filled upwards of 40 volumes ; yet eminent lawyers had stated that these acts might be consolidated and included in four or five volumes without the least detriment. Many existing acts had become obsolete and inapplicable to the present state of society. Others had been passed for a limited time, and had now expired. An enormous quantity had been repealed. So great, indeed, was the confusion that the judges themselves were often at a loss to know the law. If, however, the laws of the country could be contained in four or five volumes the people could read and understand the law as well as the lawyers. At present even the lawyers themselves did not know which Acts of Parliament had been repealed and which were in force. Only one Act of Consolidation had been passed last session, but others were promised. For this most important improvement the public were in debted to the present Lord Chancellor, who would, he hoped, remain long enough in office to purge the statute law from the confusion into which it had fallen. (Hear, hear.) He congratulated theist on having got rid of one incubus—the lonian Islands, which we had p r esented to the King of the Greeks. The islandets we re very glad to get r id of be handed over to Greece ; we were very glad t them ; and he trusted we should nev er be s pla o ., gu a ed mi w lli i o th n them again. This country had sp ent, some a of money in fortifying those isl ands, and now their fortifica tions were to be destroyed. That was grea t folly. If the fortifications were of use to us they oiuldbeofustehetmo u th p e , Greeks, and he did not see any utilit y w n blowing The Government m ade !,_apiraocpeo. Every one said that thissal to the House of Commons to buy the Exhibition 1' building was, in an architectural point of view, most die creditable to this country. It transpired, however, that the' late Prince Consort had had a great deal to do with the ar rangement and concoction of the edifice, and it was proposed to retain the uglitet building in Europe as a monument of respect to his memory. The House of Commons had, how ever, rejected the vote, so that the pockets of the tatpayers had been saved the purchase of these useless buildings. (Hear.) He regretted that the usual measure for the aboli tion of Church rates had been rejected by a majority of 10. As a Churchman he declared that it was most discreditable to allow the question to remain in its present state. (Ap plause.) Church-going persons ought at least to maintain their own places of worship, for dissenters maintained not only their chapels, but also their ministers, while the clergy of the Church had endowments for their support. There had been another discussion on a very old question—that members of Parliament should be elected by ballot. The motion was unfortunately lost ; but from his Parliamentary experience, which now extended over nearly 30 years, he was convinced that no reform bill wculd be of essential value unless the ballot formed a portion of it. (Applause.) They did not want the ballot, he would admit, in the borough of Lambeth, because that borough contained large employers who did not attempt to coerce their work men. But elsewhere electors were often unable to vote as they wished. When the vote by ballot prevailed the House of Commons would be the reflex of the opinions of the people of this country, and not before. A vast ex penditure was incurred in maintaining our colonies. We had about 45 of these colonies, which were of no use to this country, but which cost us £1,250,000 a year. There was a time when the colonies might have been of service.. Be fore the passing of free-trade measures the colonies pur chased their supplies and manufactures from us, Now they could go over the whole world, and buy where they chose. He did not object to that; but the Government ought to insist on the colonists forming thmselves into rifle corps for their own defence, instead of calling on this country to send them troops. Canada, for example, was an enormous ex pense to the mother country. The States of America were certain to go to war with us about that colony. If they were to take it from us it would be a great saving to the people of this country. At all events, if the Canadians did not establish a militia, and form themselves into rifle corps for their own defence, he would propose that the connexion between Great Britain and Canada should be in a friendly way withdrawn. The Government had the agreeable duty of providing Governors and other officers for these colonies at high salaries. The House of Commons was even called upon to pay the bishops and clergy of some colonies. When he entered the house 25 years ago the first thing he did was to complain of the payment of bishops in Canada. They afterwards proposed a vote for the salary of a bishop in New Zealand. He divided the house against it, and the vote was withdrawn. There was a horrible out cry from the friends of the Church, but what was the result ? The people of New Zealand provided a salary for the bishop, and he was paid by those for whose benefit he laboured He regretted that so much indifference existed in the House of Commons in regard to the expenditure. We had a body . of 170,000 rifle soldiers, most of whom were stated on high military authority to be fully equal to regiments of the line. Instead, however, of diminishing the standing army the Government went on increasing it. There seemed to be in high quarters, indeed, a disposition to make ours a military Government, like the great despotisms on the Continent. But the country did not require a large standing army for its defence. Our natural defence was our navy, and that was in a most efficient state. In point of strength and fighting materiel it was nearly double that of France. At present our army and navy cost twice as much as during the Ministry of Wellington and Peel. He did not see why Lord Palmerston should want double the expenditure that those distinguished men thought necessary, when he had 175,000 Volunteers, in addition to the regular army. (Hear, hear.) He had proposed a reduction of 10,000 men of the standing army, but he got very little support, and unless the country made a stir there would be no change. He gave the Government great credit for maintaining peace in the present state of the world. The rebellion in the United States of America was a most disastrous event, but to go to war with America would be an act of insanity. The time would come when that war would cease, and then we should again receive our usual cotton supply. He wished it might be soon, but the prospect was not very bright at present. There was a disastrous state of things in Poland in consequence cf the atrocity and brutal conduct of the Russians. Our Go vernment and that of France had made a vain attempt to obtain justice for Poland, but the Russian Government was behaving in a more oppressive and tyrannical manner than ever. The English Government were at peace with great countries, but we always had some little wars on hand. We had a little war, for example, in New Zealand. A Gentleman who sat on the front bench, close to the platform, here exclaimed, "We cannot hear one single sen tence of what you are saying." Mr. WILLIAMS said he was doing his best, but as his voice wa3 so weak he would bring his remarks to a close. It appears that our ships of was had attacked one of the towns in Japan and set it on fire. It bad 103,000 in habitants, and many men, women, and children were de stroyed. He did not see how it was possible to obtain the friendship of that people after such destruction of life and property, He regretted that he had not been able to make himself better heard, but he must express his grate ful thanks to the electors of Lambeth for the patience with which they had listened to him and the confidence which they had placed in him. The hon. member having expressed his willingness to answer any questions that might be put to him, resumed his seat amid loud applause. The following resolution, moved by Mr. J. A. LYON, se conded by Mr. WEBBER, and supported by Captain D. ROGERS, was carried unanimously :—" That this meeting, having heard the statement of Mr. W. Williams, respecting his political conduct during the last session of Parliament, are of opinion that his faithful and indefatigable services in the Commons House of Parliament eminently merit the grateful thanks of this meeting, which are hereby most cordially tendered to him; and this meeting also express their most anxious hope that he may be blessed by Divine providence with health and strength to continue to repre sent this borough for many years yet to come." Mr. WILLIAMS, in acknowledging the resolution, said he could assure them that he joined most cordially in the hope that he might long continue to represent the borough of Lambeth. (Applause.) Years were rolling over him, and he found that he could not stand 2 o'clock in the morning so well as he could 30 years ago. He had been a member of Parliament for 29 years within a month, and he would take upon himself to say that no one had given more votes or attended in his place more regularly than he had. (Ap plause.) At the last election a very important borough of fered to return him without coat or trouble. He declined the offer with thanks, being determined never to represent any constituency but the men of Lambeth. (Applause.) Mr. PILEUP, then moved, "That this meeting deplores the continuance of extravagant Government expenditure, such as that of the army and navy, useless fortifications, Sm,, in times of peaee, but sees no hope of a reduction of taxation without more combined action on the part of the professing Liberal members of the Rouse of Commons; this meeting therefore trusts that other constituencies will request their representatives to combine with their esteemed member. Mr. W. Williams, in endeavouring to achieve so desirable an object. And this meeting, having heard that church rates have been made in two of the parishes in the borough of Lambeth, hereby express their surprise and in dignation at a revival of the obnoxious impost, and urgently entreat their representative Mr. Williams to use his influence in the House of Commons to abolish church rates for ever." Mr. PAURER seconded and Mr. CULVERWELL supported the resolution. An elector in the body of the room suggested that it was ill-timed to add to the resolution just proposed a declaration against church rates. The resolution was, however, put and carried without a dissentient, and the proceedings terminated with the usual acknowledgment to the chair. COLLINGRIDGE'S CITY DIARY AND ALMANAC FOR 1864.—An excellent new diary and year book, specially adapted to the citizens of London, has, under this name, but just now made its appearance. It comprises the addresses of all the members of the corporation, the city o !lees, courts of law, unions, halls or offices of the civic companies, with the clubs, presidents and officers of the royal hospitals, ward Dierks and beadles, a calendar of local and general events, and a nOss of other matter, in a conve nient form for reference. The ,diary, which is published at a very moderate price, is secure, we should imagine, of winning for itself a wide circulation. [ADVEItTISEMENT.]—HoIIoway's Pills. --,Enjoyment of Life.—When the blood is pure, its circulation perfect, and the nerves in good order, we are well. These pills possess a marvellous power in securing these great secre:e of health by purifying, regtOating, and strengthening fluiti.s and solids. Holloway's Pais can be confidently recom mended to all persons suffering from disordered digestion or worried by nervous fancies or neuralgic pains. They correct acidity and heartburn, dispel sick headache, quicken the action of the liver, and act as alteratives. and gentle aperients. The weak and delicate may take them without fear. Holloway's Pills are eminently serviceable to persons of irritable constitutions, ae they raise the action of every organ to its natural standard, and universally exercise a calming and sedative influence. A D VERTISEMENT.]—Avoid medic ines: they alwa ys aggra vate chronic complaints, but Du Barry's Delicious Health Restoring Revalenta Arabica Food, which saves fifty tinier its cost in other remedies, invariably cures them, restoring perfect digestion, strong nerves, sound lungs, healthy liver, pure blood, refreshing sleep, functional regularity, and energy to the most disordered or enfeeblecL We extract a few out of 60,000 Cures : —Cure No. 58,216 or the Marchioness de of a complat, wasting for seven Brehan, Parts , years, debility, w ith a Aver nervous in palpitation away all over, bad digestion, constant sleeplessness, the most intolerable nerv ous ag itation, and drea dfull y low s p irited.—Cur e No. 1 , 771 . Lord cough, indescribable years'ony S t ua rt de Decies , Lor d Lieut. of Waterford, of m dyspe psia.—No. 4 9 ,8 32 . "Fifty years' u i s a t i j p o a t t l i y o . a ” , flatulency, spasms , sickness, and vomiting.—M a ria eo r a f ro m dyspepsia, nervousness, asthma, —Cure No. 46,270. Mr. James Roberts, of Frimley, Surrey, of t m h e ir n t t, y n y n ea d r p s' ar d t i id diseased lungs, No. 47,121. FMB Elizabeth s, spirits, and nervous fan le sp ittin g of blood, liver derange • Jacobs, of extreme nervou sness, indigestion, gatherings, low c s. —Cure No. 54,816. The Rev. Jas , T. Campbell, Fakenham, Norfolk, "of indi g estion and torpi dity of the liver, which had resisterl all medical treatment." In tins, 1 lb., 25. Pd. —B • ,' ; 21b., 4s. 6d ; 51b., lls. • 121 b 225. • :41b 40x.—Barry / u Barry and Co., No. 77, Regent-stre et, ' t, 1T, , 0n don ; also Fortnum and Mason ; and all Grocers and Chen/013 iu every town of the United liingdow. EXTRAORDINARY CONFESSION. There are at present in the custody of the Hull police three youthQ, who have been apprehended on a charge of committing a burglary by breaking open the offices of the Electric and International Telegraph Company in Lowgate, Hull, and stealing a sum of money. A youth concerned in this rob bery is yet at large. One of the three in custody has just made a most extraordinary confession. When taken to prison by Detective Jones, he stated, in the presence of his mother and the officer, that he and the other boys broke into the premises of Messrs. Young and Pool, ironmongers,Mialthata street, Hull, a few evenings ago. He held the light while the rest of the boys were engaged in trying to break open the iron safe. They used oyster-knives and crowbars, but, failing in opening it, it was suggested that they should use a file' With this instrument they worked on the safe for more than an hour, but the hardness of the metal baffled all their attempts. They therefore aban doned the safe, which contained about £lOO, and began to examine the premises for the purpose of carrying off anything which they might be forty nate enough to meet with. In the cupboard they found some bottles of wine, with which they refreshed themselves, and they then went into the shop, from which they took a number of large knives, spoons, forks, and other articleat and with this booty they decamped. After' wards they went into a jeweller's 0 11 °P and asked if the spoons were silver, and they were informed that they were merely electro-plat ed ' After having been in this shop they formed a Ple° of robbing it, one of them being deputed to make observation as to the best mode of carrying out th is design. As the stolen spoons were of little value the/ determined to bury them, and a hole was accord' ingly dug in the yard of the North Eastern Rail' way Company, Paragon-street, but as one of the prisoners resided near that place he did not fe el comfortable about their remaining there, and 8° they were afterwards taken up and reburied a bout a mile and a half on the Humber bank. Before a° opportunity offered of robbing the jeweller's sl.cP he lads determined ro rob the offices of the Electric Telegraph Company, where one of them had been employed. They arranged that when the robbed had been committed they should engage a dorce rS and drive to some place in the country where they' might hide until the affair had been forgotten. the robbery was perpetrated, and about 1.10 taken off' It was agreed to leave the town on Sunday morn' ing last, and for this purpose a dog-cart was duly engaged. It was decided that they should set og at an early hour, and two of the lads missed their i trip by lying in bed too long. The two left b ehin d agreed to take a cab, and before starting they con' spired to take possession of the cab between Beverld and Driffield. They were to mount the box, seizing the cabman, his throat was to be cut. D i !. body they were to dispose of by throwing it int o tcv d roadside ditch. The cab and horse they determ ine a to sell when they arrived at Driffield, and go ° with the proceeds. It appears that the youths Yle y took the dog-cart managed to break it before th e y reached Driffield, and they left it in a field on the roadside. On Monday morning they took the hel l : into the stable at the inn where they had put up, e n d went to a horse dealer, to whom they offered to ae' ; the animal, which of its class was a valuable o ne; f° ., £5. The dealer's suspicions were at once a rouse° and he handed them over to the police authoritili who conveyed them to Hall. The youths who ht. engaged the cab, and had conspired to murder to' cabman, got the cab, but just at the momen t 0 starting one of them became afraid, and he told t b , cabman what he and his companion had determint; to do. The lad who was to have perpetrated t.°,. deed then jumped out of the opposite d oor of tiav cab and took to his heels. He was soo n after cer o tured by Detective Jones. The name s of the thre boys in custody are J. W. Wrigglesw orth, Ric her a Lord, and J. I. Reynolds. They have been r e ; mended to gaol until th e evidence in the se ver; cases against them has been made c om p lete. the prisoners are said to have been led to this extract' dinary course of crime by reading the lives of Dick Turpin and other such characters, and they had de' termined to become burglars, highwaymen, and, t ° crown all, murderers. Their career, however, boo been cut short, fortunately for them. COUNTRY ,MARKETS. --A ---. COLCHESTER—DEC. 5. L .„t to- There was a moderate supply of wheat at our rottri— day, and the demand was good. No change in prices' 3 , Wheat, white. 44s 50s Beans, Mazagan .. 28° 30 red 40s 44s middle & 5ma11.320 3 54 B ar l e y Oats GLOUCESTER—Dnc. 5. ft% There was a fair show of English wheat to-daY;;„el, which the currencies of last week were firmly maint'n e of Foreigu wheat held for an advance of is on the Pr l ; pat last week. Oats, barley, beans, and peas we re dui', unaltered in value. CHELMSFORD—DEC. 4. b oo l' At this corn exchange to-day there was an inactive _oily ness done. The prices of las week were barely 2! ) . , 0 er tained. Barley also dull, and prices is per quarter c_S;s9l for inferior sorts. Beans and peas a very limited 0' and prices unchanged. 3 94 36 0 390 Wheat, old white 30s 47s , Peas, Partridgo....oBo io new 44e 48s White .......... ', 2 , 0$ 4. ,, old red 34s 40s Boiling ... ...... ..,,,, 5U ° new 38s 42s Dun 3 0 ' ~.-9 Barley ..27s 36 s Ditto new ...-0 399 Chevalier .......28s 39s Beans, Tick, old 3 4! ,•-. 4 Gr i n di ng 22s 31s new. 4 0 ; Malt.... Chevalier 64s 69s new. •3 0 5 3 54 O a t s 2os 28s Mazagan ......° KIKCALDY GRAI—DEC. 5. 1311 r We had large supplies of all descr N iptions of grin o 10t market today, whi c h so ld f r eely at the curren cies week. Oats. Wheat. Barley. 16s Od Firat....34s Od I 25s Gd 17s 6d Second —378 Od 27s 0 " l • 19s Od Third....4os Od 30s Od COAL blAftgEle rrioes of Coal per Ton at tne olos e of them a rket. 0. Jo m. d. 15 Buddle'sWest Hartley 16 01 West Hartley ........ 13yass's Bebside West Hartley ...16 Cowpen Hartley 16 Davison's West Hart- ley.. l6 0 Holywell 17 6 Ships at marl Walls End. .20 6 Hatton .............. is Y 6 Tunstall .• .• • • ......2O a Haswell .............. 18 Gosforth ........... et, 7 ; sold, 7. MILITARY BALLOONING.—Mr. CoXWell's pb will ascend from the Royal Arsenal a t WOOlllOl, for experimental military purposes. On t he 10th o vemceto ber it will be inflated with 75, 000 cubic feet of gas fr° l '4oo Arsenal, and General Sir Richard Dacres of the Wor'7o authorities will be present. The troops in garrison marched some miles over the coun tr y roads, in Oru°lo' give the aeronaut and the scient ific committee whop i'di company him an opportunity of reconnoitring theiro ments. Births. a son. ~i k 1 41 ' .1 G st . h M in u a r t ie . :, a E t s s q u ., t o to f us, DUNDIS.—On the 3d inst., at Carron Hall, Faila - f Wickham m tchzasi:ar k e - the wife of J. Dundas, Esq., of a son. ;00 /14 M tilb: lEL.:oo:tthhee 4th3cl inst., inat., att t sm t i h l e ir w , ~h 0 0 Lady Smug eon. o Guildfo rd} . i -- fe On W th e. w if„: Arthur Holme Sumner, Esq., of a 011 ' ,Suusrvit. Marriages. g cur: savasT—PLYWELL,—On the 3d inst., at St. Be e' ''' 4 )1 berland, John Henry,l if rY eldest son f Dr. Jame° 0 ev e late of Camblidco - square, London,to Olive A l332 ;s l°' daughter of Cla.nrieS Powell, Esq., Ab v °° '' ' t of erga mouthshire.at G la tt BUCHANAN—HungifisoN.—On the 3d inst. , O,-1. Stephen's, Dublin, Lt. W. R. Buchanan, B Bc li j aag r son of Andrew 0' Buchan,ml,_ Esq., of Greefield,„.,o,o,4l shire, N. 8., to the Lady Kathrine Alicia 11 01 9 P ' etl t $ son, daughter of the late. and sister of the pre y of Donoughmore. Deatiul• Tli ti°' ALLEN.—On the 3d inst, at New 10.1111 s, Henley 0 0 d i' '' Mr. James Allen, aged 60, t . mo co ATSCOUGH.—On the 2 d ins t . , at Narlrood , ' jjOi co Esq , Admiral ot the ed. cCaptainft COMBE.—On the sth ins ß t., at Che ltenhanly j°s o ' Combe, late Madras N. 1., aged 78. pole' DUMMETT.—On the s th inst., at Longfleet, O etlrj, Dummett, Esq., aged 82. ON Sir A MAnTriv.—On the 4th inst., at Tunbridge-we .„ o ,3for' . Martin, Bart. ~i gall, P MAGENIS,--00. the 4th inst., at Harretu m 4. 4, 4 shire, Richard Wm. Magenis, Esq., aged_ r i L es TIP P' E.T.TTTEIL,—On the Gth inst., at Hackney, Jaw Rutter, Esq., aged 30. __-- ---- ,-1 -5 --__— ~,,,,, ~ Al, _ 4 „I:p. 0 4 , 4 , London : Prinzed and Plit‘nehed by WILLI .1. 1 !c .c IN .;',,t SUN 01U, _t L of O. 112, Strand, Printer, at TnE ,s _ e co o , Strand, :n the Precinct of the 3avoy. 11 Iv I ' Iditleeeex. —Tuealay, .Peceraber 8, 1.863. VItE rii; elms, alut 1 TI bet( b IE 10 , 00 istb the T Rod Tri Pec A R . %a ` r , ; foi AI, TI ar an