The Sun. — London, England, 1863-01-20 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF TEE PUBLIC JOURNALS. TlMES.—There is something amiss in the body politic when it requires so many investigations, which, after all, only discover what has gone wrong. The great mass of the recent intelligence from Ame rica is made up of reports of national inquests to ascertain the causes of the general catastrophe. Thera has been a military inquiry at Washington into the conduct of commanders eeriously compro mised in popular belief ; another military investiga tion on the field of Fredericksburg, proving only that " somebody blundered ;" and a third official scrutiny of enormous frauds and peculations on the Treasury, committed in the city of New York. The reports of these examinations read like so many de tails of morbid anatomy, the facts detected fulls explaining certain fetal results. In New York we trace the unhealthy activity of the commercial prin ciple that " got up" an army as a good trading speculation, anti as it would " make a corner" in tallow or fancy stocks. Never were the fat ribs of peace preyed upon so unresistingly by the hungry of many nations. Vultures of all countries scented the feast from afar. The vast bulk of the Common wealth had drifted, like a wounded whale, into strange waters. Years of quiet feeding had clothed it with flesh, and it was floating defenceless. How soon it was surrounded by those sharks who are al ways roaming the depths, and how effectually they began their work, an American authority has almost despairingly told us. The Government, half afraid it would discover too much, and still unwilling or ashamed to reveal half it knows, has appointed a Commission to ascertain to what extent the Federal Treasury has been plundered amid all the noisy pa triotism of the Empire State. Awful is the price that has been paid for having the cheapest military esta blishment in the world. Two years of inefficiency and defeat have cost more than an effective force would have required through two generations. It appears that the Central Executive is not the only sufferer. Contributing citizens, corporations, and the great Union Defence Society itself, have all been defrauded in proportion to the funds they gave. The subscriptions were sent in liberally, but there was no business-like control of the money. The machinery indispensable to the administration of an army had to be constructed while the army was brought together. The Defence Committee contributed towards the " organisation and equip ment of 40 regiments." Here, indeed, was " the opportunity for rogues and thieves to reap their golden harvest." And the reapers descended upon it instantly. The confusion of the time favoured their purpose. Keen and self-possessed, in all the blaze of warlike enthusiasm, rascality had but to stretch his hands to be rich. The " rogues" robbed all funds and deposits impartially, the coolest thieves occasionally varying the work by robbing each other. The Adjutant-General's Department had the management of the funds, and the muster ing officers, in the different cities, were appointed the "disbursing" agents to pay the exp nses of the recruits before they were sent on to Washing ton. Tha recruiting was undertaken by private enterprise, and fell into the hands of two kinds of contractors ; one undertook the work on a large scale, "putting in his bid" to the official advertise ment for men, engaging to furnish them "to any number the Government might require," and pro viding them with rations and lodgings. This was the general contractor. The other was a " special," or sub-contractor, in most cases a beershop keeper, who opened a recruiting office on his premises, and ran np an account against the " disbursing officer," thus getting his pull on the Exchequer also. From the contractors, through a multiplicity of agents, up to the disbursing officials, into the Adjutant- General's Department, to the final depletion of the Central Treasury, the tale of fraud runs through a labyrinth of unscrupulous devices. False returns, forged certificates, and affidavits obtained by perjury are only a few items in a network of chicanery so nefarious that a special detective police had to be engaged as a check on it. The amount of the plunder is estimated at a million of dollars. The investigation applies only to the expenses of the first enlistment of men, and does not extend to the contracts for arms, stores, and clothing. And this is stated to be a sample of what has been going on in every city "throughout the United States." We must multiply the plunder of New York by twenty to make a rough guess at the real amount the country has lost in this raid of public pillagers. There are many sincere believers in the possibility of restoring the political union of the States by force of arms who are even more perplexed than discon raged by the repeated military failures. The " bound less resources" of the Federal Government ought, they say, to have crushed the revolt long ago. En thusiasm, money, men, nothing was wanting. What has neutralised all these elements of power in war ? Reluctant, even now, to acknowledge a real supe riority on the part of the Confederacy in the actual operations of the campaigns, they assert that the lukewarmness and treachery of some members of the Government, and all the military commanders, have caused the national reverses. The imputation of treason is not supported by any proof, except want of success, which of itself is no evidence of corrupt motive. But there has been a cause at work from the beginning of the war why the " boundless resources" of the Government have not commanded a proportionate degree of strength. A public sus picion is being confirmed by the revelation of facts. The figh ting power of the Federation has been mea sured to it by the " resources" left after an inde finite amount of absorption. The means were large, but they had a limit. Revenue has found its ex treme verge, and credit is approaching the point where it will find a power able to mark its ne plus ultra. What has been really without bound or re straint is, not the resources of the Executive, but the waste of them. There is a moral defect at the root of the national calamities. Treason there has been, but in a wider circle than that of Generals and Ministers. The people have turned the war into a scramble for profits. An army of public ban ditti have won a full and decisive victory in the fight for gain. They have not mastered the Southern territory, but they have achieved com plete possession of the Northern purse ; and, as one conquest consumed the means of making the other, they could not secure two triumphs at once. HERALD. —A great writer has defined grati tude "as a quick sense of future favours." The definition suggests the worldly wisdom which di rects the conduct of the great master of statecraft. Ministers, wise in their generation, know well that anticipation exceeds the pleasure of posses- Sion ; and if hope deferred makes the heart sick it ke eps the suppliant humbly crowding at prefer ment's gate until the magic words "open sesame" are uttered. The groat expectations of others is a great element of power in the hands of those who h h ave anything to bestow. The heiress, until she selectedas from the crowd of her admirers; the wealthy uncle, surrounded by the social tribe of expectant nephews and nieces ; or even the miser, without St relative i n th e world, are all powers in their way, until the selection has been made and the promise given. But w h a t are all these com pared to the Ministers with places, garters, titles, pensions to bestow ? The unthinking %is:lder that a place is kept vacant, a garter untied, a promised peer left unrobed. Why this is his secret. As the man armed can keep a whole mob at bay, for no one can tell whom the shot may hit, so one place can preserve order amid a whole crowd of suppor ters; each of whom thinks himself the one on whom fortune may smile through the countenance of the Minister. how is it, then, with such a knowledge of human nature as Lord Palmerston possesses, that be is now about to kill la polde aux ceufs nor, to cut off the fountain head of his influence, by creat ing batches of baronets and peers ? Is this the last effort of expiring gratitude ; the sweet song of the d y in g "an ; the last low words of political affec tion? O r are we to accept these party offerings, these political gifts, as but an earnest of future favours, of still higher rewards in store for the self devoted followers of his ambiguous policy ? Be this as it may, let not the deed be darkly done. This act of gratitude should not be kept in the corner the future lights of the peerage must not be placed, under the bushel. Let us, while the subject is yet fresh, record some of the names of the new noble barons who are to adorn the Legislature. Report says there are to be no less than 20 added to the dig. nity of the Upper House. We have not yet seen the whole list, but are satit,fled frnm the names of the two or three that halve passed current in the clubs that the accession of these gentlemen to the peerage will add immensely to its consideration, while we shall have to mourn over the sacrifice which the House of Commons will sustain when they quit it,? benches. And, first, Mr. M. Milnes; what will become of the house without that well-known pleasant countenance—well known, for each side 1 of the house has in turn seen it beaming upon them P A more consistent (we were about to write politician, but we ask Mr. Milnes' pardon) —a more consistent follower and retainer no Minister ever possessed. Seated on the topmost back bench, he represents the cherub that aloft watches over the Minister when ho drifts into difficulties. Ever at his post, eve n Mr. William sturdy appearance cam rely on his cheer. appearance and sturdy self-esteemin There Mr. a Milnes sy which justifies his being p laced on the p eers' roll b y a grand -sounding old feudal title; Lord Monckton rings magnificent—true metal—the DNoerthaondceosn; itquestrecalled to us. Talk of Christmas pantom i me s and transformations! What extrava anza ever equalled this ? How the footmen at Cambridge House will start with astonishment ! The author of "Palm Leaves" and some sonnets,the May-fair poet, Mr. Monck ton Milnes, suddenly an-, nounced as Lord Monckton De Rhodes. Shades of tapestried warriors, companions of time-honoured Lancaster, hail your new cousin ! If Palmerston can do this, what, in the name of our fathers, can he not do ? We have only space at present to devote to one more of this noble, stately band. If Lord Monckton De Rhodes is to head it - we presume Mackinnon of that ilk is to bring up the rear. Here, again, idle cavillers might find fault with this, and ask what has Mr. Mackinnon done to merit this distinction. We reply that, as Lord Russell is the great disco verer of abuses in the political constitution, so Mr. Mackinnon is the great discoverer of nuisances that affect the physical constitution. His name is im perishably associated with the Smoke Nuisance Bill, the Dissection Bill, and the Churchyard Bill; and it is astonishing with how great ingenuity the hon ourable gentleman ferretted out all the abominations and scented out the nuisances connected with these uninviting topics. This is his great merit, and suffices without any other claims ior Mr. Mackin non to take his seat as an hereditary legislator, Something will doubtless be extracted for him from the history of the clan. Mackinnon, but except the member for Rye we know of no one of that name who has illustrated the family. There was an active relative who in former days was able, like Hervio Nano, to crawl along the ceiling. This crawling propensity may in part explain the popular rumour. Lord Mackinnon of that ilk is to take his seat next Lord Monckton de Rhodes on the baron's bench of the House of Lords. Of course we cannot vouch for the truth of the rumours, but— " In the sunset of life there is mystical lore, And coming events cast their shadows before." In the retiring time of the present Government it may well be that the noble Premier has determined to obey the cry of " Largess, largess !" with lavish hand, and to oblige his followers, whatever preju dice might accrue to the House of Lords. For many years this has been the result of Conservative self denial—the Whigs have made peers for both sides. If it be true that from eighteen to twenty more names are to be added to the Lords' roll, all we hope is that in the august assembly, before it is too late —indeed, the moment Parliament meets—such questions will be put to Lord Granville as will make the Premier pause before he trifles with the solemn trust which the constitution has placed in the hands of the Sovereign. RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE, MELBOURNE AND HOBSON'S BAY. The half-yearly report of the directors of this company states that the accounts show a considerable falling off in the receipts as compared with the corresponding period of the preceding year. The cause of this decrease are attri buted chiefly to certain fluctuations of commerce, which do not permanently affect the general sources of revenue. A large portion of this decrease has resulted from the imports carried over the line being upwards of 8,000 tons less than for the half-year ending OcL. 31, 1861, which has been caused in a great degree by the necessity imposed upon several of the Melbourne agents of havit g to discharge ge • neral cargoes at Williamstown pier, in consequence of rail way plant being on board for the Government. The cargoes of several vessels would have been discharged at the com pany's pier during the last half year but for this compulsory arrangement. Another item of decrease had arisen from the sudden withdrawal of the Brighton traffic, under the influence of extraordinary inducements held out by another company. Notwithstanding all those drawbacks, the balance sheet shows a profit upon the past six months sufficient to pay a dividend at the rate of 9} per cent. per annum, leav ing £l7 for the reserve fund. This result is in a great de- 1 1 gree attributable to the reductions in expenditure. The en gineer reports that the permanent way is in excellent repair, and the rolling stock of the company in the highest state of efficiency. It is proposed to connect the Hobson's Bay and other suburban lines with the Victorian railways by a line running along Flinders •street to Spencer-street, and car ried upon arches, so as not in any way to obstruct the river traffic, and as it would pass the whole distance over what is now unoccupied land, a handsome and capacious passen ger station could be erected, and the whole works completed at an expenditure of less than £BO,OOO, being one-third of the estimated cost of the El zabeth-street project. The ground set apart by the Hobson's Bay Company for the Government portion of the passenger traffic largely exceeds the area of the Hobson's Bay portion, which is found amply sufficient for the arrival and departure of 50 trains daily, carrying on an average 30,000 passengers weekly, while the Victorian lines only despatch 17 trains per day and convey 13,000 passengers weekly to and from Melbourne. The capital account to the 31st of October, 1862, shows that £500,416 had been received, and £501,115 expended, in cluding £113,769 on the St. Kilda branch. The revenue account for the half s ear ending the 31st of October shows that £35,747 had been received, and £13,005 or 36.38 per cent. expended, leaving a balance of £22,742. The re ceipts per train mile amounted to 10s. 7id., an 4 the work ing expenses to 3s. 1 'id., leaving the profit of working the traffic Gs. 91c1. per train mile. MADRAS. The traffic receipts on this company's south-west line for the month of October last amounted to £14,147, or £35 per mile, on 406 miles open, against £9,887, or £4O per mile, on 247 miles open in October, 1861, showing an increase of 159 miles in the length and £4,260 in thG receipts for the month. RAILWAY BILLS. Yesterday the Examiners on Standing Orders of the Houses of Lords and Commons, Mr. Smith and Mr. Frere, commenced their inquiries as to the compliance or non compliance therewith of the bills proposed to be brought before Parliament in the ensuing session. After hearing the usual evidence the Examiners declared that the stand ing orders of both houses were duly complied with in the following cases :—Scottish Central and Dundee and Perth and Aberdeen Railway Junction, amalgamation; Scottish North-Eastern and Dundee and Arbroath, amalgamation; London, Chatham, and Dover, for proposed extensions to Mitcham, Epsom, and Sutton, at an estimated cost of £560,000 ; the Central Isle of Wight Extensions, authoris ing the company to raise additional capital; Sidmouth and Budleigh Saltcrton, to raise a capital of £80,000; White haven, Cleator, and Egremont, for an extension of their line from Damplugh to the Cockermouth and Workington ri l m V s a b k y e 7 ' power use certain on of f ß or ailway, andto to raisect7s s ,o ta o t o i ; Westt Riding.the Yorkshire,Hali fax, an f d o r L p a o n w c a e r - I L r e o e r c k ls s , h L ir e e e l d i s a , il ß w r a a y d s fo ; rd s , ot a i n th d s fi h e i l r d e a a n nd d a to 0 1 w i a n y a , k e a n a i 1 r m a l a w k e a y t r f a r o ffl in e to purchase th . e New ßar p n o s r l t ey p - a C g o n a e l i n i, arrangements ; Wolverton to Newport Pagnell, with pow4esr,toooop7 Barnsley e s t ley he Newport Pagnell Canal, and to raise .c Coal Railway, to extend their line, and to raise 0 £llO,OOO. The only case of non-compliance in consequence f the plans and s ec ti ons no t h av i ng b een deposited in duetime, was that of the Birmingham and Sutton Coldfield Exten sion. CAYENNE CONVICTS -.—The Demerara Colon ist states that the six French convicts who lately escaped from Cayenne have been given up to the French Government under the treaty between Great Britain and France for the mutual extradition of criminals. These men were all under sentence for criminal offences. They formed the crew of a twat which left Isle de Mere, under the charge of the superintendent of convicts and the civil engineer of works, for the purpose of proceeding to the mainland, and they effected their escape by throwing the two officers into the sea. CURIOSITY IN A DYING MAN.—It was a bright thought that of Smithson, the founder of the Smith sonian Institution, when he was dying of an unknown complaint. Smithson had had five doctors, and they had been unable to discover what the disease was. At length they told the patient that he must die. Calling them all around him, he said ;—" My friends. after I die, make a post-mortem examination and find out what ails me; for, really, I have heard such long and learned discussions on the subject, that I sin dying to know what the disease i 5 myself," ill-fortuneto have that turned. For the has been running Theagainst l thelongtide r of seems N h last three days the public mind has been fiiled with o disquieting presentiments of evil in the South-West. On Sunday it was reported that Gen. Rosecrans had been defeated at Murfreesborough, and that he had surrendered with his whole army to Gen. Bragg. Yesterday it was asserted on better authority that the battle had raged for five days with awful slabgh ter on both sides, but with no definite result. This morning there is news from Gen. Rosecrans himself, ' admitting the obstinacy of the contest, but claim ing a victory, purchased with the loss of from 7,000 to 10,000 men. Nashville, the prize on which the Confederates had set their hearts, has been saved; and if the great Confederate army of the South- West have not been destroyed or rendered incapable of further offence, it appears to have received so heavy a blow as to incapacitate it from any imme diate resumption of hostilities. The telegraphic despatches represent it as in full retreat to Tulla homa, about 30 miles distant, on the line of the Nashville and Chattanooga railway. One despatch adds the words, "in disorder ;" but a careful perusal of the two bulletins of Gen. Rosecrans leads to the belief that Gen. Bragg saved his army as secretly and unexpectedly to the enemy, and in as good order, as Gen. Burnside saved his at Fredericks burg. When the struggle ended on Saturday night Gen. Rosecrans evidently calculated on its renewal, and only awakened to find, at ' 7 o'clock in the morning, that the foe had escaped without ex citing his suspicions. Gen. Robert Mitchell, dating from Nashville yesterday, says "The Lord is on our side. The rebels are whipped." But the profane supposition in the first sentence, and the confident assertion in the second, may yet be put to the test at Chattanooga, should General Rosecrans pursue the enemy to that strong position and again offer battle. The result of the fivo days fight of Murfrees borough is not the only favourable turn in the military fortunes of the North. A. secretly planned expedition from the army of General Granger in Kentucky, which started on Christmas-day, has suc ceeded, by a series of brilliant cavalry movements, in breaking up a large and important portion of the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad, by which rein forcements might have reached General Bragg, or by which the Confederates might have retreated by way of Knoxville and Bristol towards Richmond. It is also asserted that Vicksburg has been captured. after a desperate struggle prolonged for six days, but, as the story only rests upon the authority of a newspaper paragraph, and has not been officially communicated to the Government, it is open to doubt, even though the authority is that of a Southern journal, which would rather give currency, if it coulrl., to the very opposite statement. It cannot be said, however, that the usually im pulsive and easily satisfied public of this city finds the same gratification in these military successes, even supposing that they prove as decisive as they are represented, as it would have done if the Presi dent had not issued his Proclamation of Etnancipa tion. It is feared that this document is but " the "beginning of the end," and that a partial revolt of the slaves in some outlying district of the South may lead to such measures of repression as may disgrace the Federal authority which pro voked it, and cause humanity to shudder both at the crime and the punishment. Even the Abo litionists and Exterminators begin to seo that the Proclamation destroys the last faint hope of the restoration of the Union, and to find fault with it as an incomplete and illogical document which could have done no greater harm than it has done already if it had gone the full length of unconditional and immediate emancipation. If the South is to be recognised by Europe—if the Union is virtually at an end—if the independence of the Seceded States is as clear a fact as the independence of any other nation or empire in the world, why, say the zealous foe of slavery, should not the Northern people re tire from the conflict with something like nobility of aim and dignity of expression, and declare to the loyal States still remaining in the Union that "Slavery has ceased to be ?" This party is already locking up to Gen. Butler as its future leader in the place of Gen. Fremont, and has not only invited him to a public dinner in New York, but has re commended that he should take the command of a negro army—with which it is to be supposed he will endeavour to exterminate a people whom it is impossible to conquer, and head the crusade against negro slavery in all parts of the Union. The negroes, in their bondage, are looking for the " Moses" that is to deliver them. Their free brethren in the North pray in all their churches for the coming of the great chieftain and lawgiver who is to lead them out of " Egypt," and have been taught to believe that failing a man of their own race, of full negit, blood—or even a man with an admixture of white blood, like Mr. Frederick Douglass—they cannot do better than place themselves under the command of the unconquerable Butler, to give them freedom and social equality within the limits of the United States; or, if that be impossible, to lead them out of it en masse within the walls of some New Jeru salem in Central America, where they may dwell in peace and grow cotton for the world. The Rev. Dr. Cheever is delighted with the Pro clamation as far as it goes. He prayed in New York last night to a mixed assembly of black and white men at the Cooper Institute that the " soul" of the late John Brown, which, according to the popular hymn, has been " marching on" at the head of the Northern armies to lead them to vic tory, might animate the councils of the President, declaring at the sauce time that the soul in ques tion was "big enough for an ) 7 twenty of the Fede ral Generals," Butler and Fremont, of course, ex cepted; He also blessed the name of God for hav ing so humbled the nation that it was compelled as a military necessity to ask the aid of the negro. The Rev. Henry W. Beecher, suspected of design ing to make a similar attack on the social prejudices of the white race, was, if the morning papers of to day may be believed, not quite so fortunate as his clerical brother. Having been invited to lecture last evening at Elizabeth, in New Jersey, the people de termined that he should not be heard. A mob ga thered at the railway station where he was to alight on his way from this city and made such demonstra tions of hostility, that, by the advice of the police and special constables who had been sworn in to preserve order, he decided not to endanger the peace of the town by persevering in his attempt, and re turned to New York with his lecture undelivered. It is but right to add that this statement is contra dicted by one who says the lecture was delivered, and that he heard it. But, independently of this ittle incident, the report and denial of which only confirm hcw difficult a thing it is to arrive at the truth in the present temper of the public mind, it is well known by this time all over the world that the negro is not, and never was, popular in these latitudes. As the pressure of taxation combined with the high price of all the necessaries of life begins to be seriously felt, the unpopularity of the . race increases. It is alleged that the war is carried on entirety upon accou ,t of the negro, that the Go vernment has no less than 150,000 runaway slaves on its hands at this moment, whom it is maintaining in idlenesslat an average daily cost of 30 cents each, making 45,000 dols. (L 9,000 sterling per diem), or £3,285,000 per annum; that while this sum is wasted upon black men, who would have been hap pier and more useful cultivating the cotton, the rice, and the sugar of their Southern ar ernm re ci a s r t , e a rs n , d ti t l ha ep t Ly mr ot . the army is aLveral mon ths th m e ,( p it r i e o, ,, t s i i t n tO g d d io e is m . l i n n d i s rr o e i deemable paper to me Chase has to issue anotehtei armies in actual service , w ho, if j ustice were done, for their money. would not be allowed to wait a week 'they f ur th ermor e allege that the Govern ment has ism into the introduced th e new e lement of pauper tof England . a worse an d more hopeless form t h an t h a many difficulties that beset the State—pauperism of i—the pauperism of an alien and inferior nice, which would not have been reduced to this helpless and de graded condition if it had not been for the ignorant and aggressive philanthropy of Puritan agitators. It is easy from these and a variety of other indica tions to see that the Proclamation will lead to many serious complications and embarrassments which , Mr. Lincoln never dreamt of when, with the blind faith of a new convert, he promulgated it tc, the un willing people. It is simply impossible that he can limit its operations to meet the military necessity which he declares to have alone dictated it. The slaves in the loyal border States have as much na tural right to their freedom, and as much love for it as the slaves can have in the rebellious Cotton States. The one cannot be incited to obtain their freedom without inciting the other to imitate their example. And, according to both the letter and spirit of Mr. Lincoln's measure, it is possible that the Fcaleral armies may on the same day be engaged in the two contradictory duties of aiding one set of slaves to escape and of returning another to captivity. Already a difficulty has arisen in Norfolk in Virginia, a town and district that are " loyal" by virtue of their occu pation by a Federal army, and in which, as a conse • quence of Mr. Lincoln's war measure, the slaves are not entitled to their freedom. In anticipation of a boon not accorded to them the negroes assembled on New Year's Day, to the number of about 4,000, and marched in military procession, four abreast, to the headquarters of General Viele, who made them a speech, wished them a happy new year, and recommended them to be peaceable and orderly —which they were. But when the proclamation reached these poor men two days afterwards they learnt that its terms did not apply to them, unless they could prove the disloyalty of their owners. Hence, in American phrase, " there is trouble" in Norfolk. The Federal forces will have to act as oppressors rather than as liberators, if the negroes insist upon their liberty with arms in their hands. As affairs now stand they have nothing for which to thank the President but a fallacious hope—and a trick as scurvy as that which the witches played Macbeth. The Cheevers, the Beechers, the Sumners, the Fremonts, and to these must now be added, it ap pears, the Lincolns and the Butlers, do not repre sent the American mind on the question of the negro. America is not ripe for emancipation—even were the feat as easy as it is difficult. Philanthropy is not fashionable—least of all the philanthropy that would look upon the black man as a brother. The one passion next to the passion of gain in the American heart is the passion for extended empire. They want to eclipse, overcome, and bully England. They want to stand at the head of the Anglo-Saxon race, and to allow no gun to be fired in any part of the civilized world without their consent, They do not wish the negro and his rights to stand in the way. Nay, more, they do not even wish their own liberties to interfere with the realization of the splendid vision. So dear, for these reasons, is the Union to the Americans, so essential does the great West believe it to ba to its future'growth and pros perity, and so little do people of all parties in the North—the Puritans of New England and New York excepted —care for the negro or his freedom, that there is scarcely any sacrifice of dignity or of principle that the majority of the North and West would not make at this moment if they could induce the South to come back again—slaves and all—and govern the Union as before. Were Mr. Jeffer son Davis, at the head of a conquering army, to march into Washington, depose Mr. Lincoln, as sume the Presidential chair, and call a general cone vention of the people to consider the terms of Re union, and the amendment of the Constitution, I firmly believe that the North would go wild with joy, and hail Mr. Davis as a second Washington and the regenerator of his country. It is a favourite theme at this moment among Anti-abolitionists, and all who consider the Union as the first blessing and the first necessity of America, to speculate on the possibility ofa reconstruction which should either ex clude New England, or hold it as a military de pendency. They are not daunted by the difficulties in the way, and prominent members of the Demo cratic party are fond of asserting that come what may, New England must be punished for the offence of exciting the war by her meddlesomeness and intolerance, and that once for all there must be an end of the question of slavery in Federal poli tics. The Legislature of the several States, which will deal with it when and how it pleases them, is alone, they allege, the machinery by which the question cae ever be touched with safety, and if New England persists in meddling with it, and stirring up strife, the sooner New England secedes the better for herself and the Union which she imperils. The loss of the Monitor, though it both startled and grieved the public, did not startle those who were acquainted with her bad sea-going qualities. Lieut. Worden, her late commander, declared in March last, after his attack on the Merrimac in Hampton-roads, that the sea voyage from New York to Fortress Monroe was the most perilous part of his achievement, and is said to have warned the Go vernment a few weeks ago of the danger of subject ing her to the chances of a winter storm in the At lantic. Her fate but confirms the prevalent belief of engineers and sailors, as well as military men, that an iron clad capable of being safely navigated in a stormy ocean has yet to be invented, and that all such vessels as are now in existence in this hemi sphere are of little use,except for service on the coast and in the rivers. They may supersede stone forts at the entrance of harbours, and they may, if towed of o r the e f s e h n o e r e e , o b f e m m a r a i d t e i e v t a i b e s l e ; e w i t i h t h e i r n f e n a r sy t h d e i s a t t a t n a c o e k but as at present consotfrtuhceteNBdotrhideyinarareidn-ooteleiakn. But ely to supersede the navies t the mechanical genius of this country is so prolific and so confident that the loss of this favourite vessel will but direct the energies of engineers and inven tors to the subject of improvement in the construc tion of such ships. Ultimately, perhaps, it may be found that" rafts a nd cheese boxes," lik e the Moni tor, ahreeirno navigators proper combination t o i nsure sa f ety with power of off ence aga i nst distant enemies; and that the Warrior a n d th e Gloire, and not th e Monitor or th e Merrimac, pre sent the real model s for imitation . The bad conduct of the mer cenary armies of the North—whether th e y were Irish, German, or native born Americans —has as long been notorious as it has been vehemently denied. The doings of the ruffians who, under Turchin, disgraced the name of soldiers—the plunder committed by the Ger mans under Blenker—the wanton destruction of property in the unhappy city of Fredericksburg, when Burnside's Irishmen made bonfires of piano fortes in the streets, and committed other acts of wanton and disgusting Vandalism, were all com mented upon in private with befitting indigna tion, but received no word of reproof from Ihe press of this city. But, as all these acts were duly chronicled in the South, and tended to strengthen every Confederate's hand, and embitter every Con federate's heart, making an army of 50,000 men worth 250,000, for concentrated hatred and deter mination, it has at last become apparent to the au thorities at Washington that a more strictly mili tary system ought to be introduced, if it were only , to preserve the good name of the North in the esti mation of the civilised world. A civil, next to a and servile, war is the wor s t i n w hi c h any nation can b e engaged; but even a ci v il war must be condu c t e d w ith some decency, humanity, and honesty, under the heavy penalty o f exc i t i ng more h a t re d t h an time can ever allay, r en d er i ng f u t ure amity difficult, exciting, o tth w e h g at re n a o t ceooumnittryy and d n i f safely notbear, impossible, the disapproval court of nations. " We know," says the New York Times, that Wherever our troops have been, houses are wrecked, fowls and pi g s killed, horses carried off, fences burnt,—the country , • in fact, laid waste, and the people made bitterly hostile. . . We can hardly avoid the conclusion that for this state .of affairs and Government are responsible; that, in short, t here is some stronger reason for the demon strations of detestation with which our troops arc constantly greeted than tnefe political alienation.' Ic is late in the day for this confession—perhaps too late to repeir the evil which has been done ; but if the Federal Government will make a few signal examples of plunderers and of officers who connive at or excite the evil passions of their soldiers, the Administration will stand better in the world's opinion than it does now, even though it may be hopeless to attempt to regain the good opinion of the Border States and the The amity of the South. Germans have been especially to blame. Then notion of war seems to be derived from the tradi tions of a hundred years ago ; but the world has advanced since those days, and if the Germans have been left behind in the march of decency or of in tellect it is high time that civilised America, if re duced to the unhappy strait of accepting their mould teach them how to bt-have with propiTr regard to the recognisA t. - )bervances of legi timate wurtare, it not of Co rtsi,tnity, THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, JANUARY 20, 1863 THE CIVIL WAR IN AMERICA. (From the limes' Correspondent.) NEW YORK, JAN, 0. AMATEUR OR PROFESSIONAL ? The following excellent argument appears in the current number of our c'ever contemporary the Spectator• ; being published there in the form of a letter to that journal from the pen of Mr. Thomas Hughes, the author of "Tom Brown's Schooldays." It is worth reading, as the name of its writer itself guarantees it to be : As the subject of sports has been started in connec tion with the discussion about the recent fight, I shruld like to say a few words upon it, if you will allow me. While some papers are going in for giving legal sanction to the Prize Ring, others are abusing boxing as a brutal sport. This seems to me as great a mistake as the other ; I believe that boxing has done, and will continue to do, great good in England. Boys and certain classes of man must always fight more or less, and surely it is a very desirable thing that they should fight with as little danger as possible to life and limb. Now we English have attained this desirable result. We have abolished the use of knives and bludgeons in our quarrels, of all weapons, in short, except natural ones. We have gone much further. When two unarmed men stand up to fight, there seems to be no reason prima facie, why they should not kick or butt one another, or strike foul blows, or gouge out one another's eyes. But we in England have done away with all this brutality, and (with very few local exceptions) there is scarcely a village in the kingdom in which a man could with impunity kick or strike his adversary when down. We owe this comparative humanity to the practice of boxing. The well-known rules which govern the sport keep us from the murderous and cowardly prac tices of other countries. " I know that in urging this I leave myself open to the retort that these rules are the prize-ring rules, and that there would have been no such system of fair fighting as we have in England but for the Ring, and that we shall lose it with prize -fighting. I deny this. The rules pre ceded prize-fighting, as I think any one may satisfy him self who will take the trouble. I admit that the c ramon law customs (so to speak) of boxing have been codified by the authorities of the prize-ring —and lot them have whatever credit they may be entitled to for this—but the customs ex isted with few exceptions before there was any prize-fight ing —and that they do not depend on prize-fig,hting, and will not be likely to fall into disuse should we happily get rid of the ring, I think is fairly deducible from the fact that they are just as fully recognised now as ever they were ; though the prize-ring has sunk into the depths of decay and blackguardism. "The fact is, that as the country gets richer, and the number of unfortunate people with nothing particular to do in the world—almost the most dangerous of the dangerous classes—increases, there is a constant tendency with us to turn sports into serious pursuits, and as surely as a sport is turned intu a serious pursuit or profession it be comes mischievous and demoralising. I believe the rule to hold good in the case of every one of our national po pular sports. Boxing has been already sufficiently die• cussed. The professional bruiser and his satellites are the result of introducing prizes, and making it possible for men to live, however precariously, by the ring. Look at horse racing; 50 years ago gentlemen in every county bred a few horses, and ran them at their county meetings. We have turned the money tap on, and now almost all of the county meetings have disappeared, and we have instead the mon ster meetings at Newmarket, Epsom, &c. County gentle tlemen have given up breeding, and running their own horses, and have been succeeded by stable boys and jockeys, who have risen to be trainers by their sharpness, and by gentlemen who have doubts about the spelling of well• known words. We all know something of the morality of the betting ring on the turf, I don't think that the present state of horse racing ought to encourage us to go on turn. ing sports into trades or professions. Take field sports. Our gentry have turned them, in many instances, into pro fessions, and round the gentleman professionals has grown up a large class of inferior professional men, in the shape of keepers, watchers, &c.—with what benefit to the country let the Assizes and Game-law Amendment Acts witness. I will add nothing as to those landlords who descend a step lower, and turn their sport into a trade by selling game. The professional point of view is enough for my purpose. "Look at cricket again. This noble game is anything but benefitted by the pursuit of it as a profession or trade by so many in late years. Gentlemen and players are alike injured by making it the object of their lives, and, moreover, the romance of the game is fast disappearing. Any one who knew the game twenty years ago could gene rally tell you where any given player came from after watching him for an over or two. Each school, again, had its own style; and hits, such as the Winchester barters and the Harrow drives, were handed on from one generation to another, and became a part of the school inheritance. Now, one eleven of boys trained by one professional is just like another in play. " Fortunately boating has been saved from the fate of her sister games, by the simple fact, that gentlemen can't, in after-life, make rowing a profession. So there is not a living to be made out of the sport only, and the professional waterman has to make his bread otherwise, and is much benpfitted by the necessity, which keeps him generally a respectable and useful member of society. The theory that you must have professional men to train if you are to have excellence in any sport, must meet the fact that in this, one of the most scientific of our sports, all the most famous crews have been trained by gentleman amateurs, such as Shadwell, Egan, or Morrison. "Wrestling and cudgel-playing stand much in the same category as boating. There isn't a regular living to be made out of them. They remain sports, and consequently the pro fesrors are not demoralised. In the parts of the country I know best they are well-conducted, civil men, living by shepherding, ploughing, or other agricultural work, in an ordinary way. " I think I have gone through more than enough of our national sports to prove my point, which is, that we cannot make sports into the serious business of men's lives without injuring them and spoiling the sports. What our dangerous classes are to do for work—how they are to find any seri ous business in life for themselves—it is no part of my business to consider. There seems plenty of work lying about, somehow, on all sides, which wealthy and educated men might take to with advantage. They would go back to their sports with a zest which they have not felt since they left college, if they would try it," THE YELVERTON CASE. The Examiner of z3aturday publishes three letters elicited by the somewhat extraordinary letter from Mrs. Forbes (Yelverton), published by that journal in its pre vious issue. Mrs. Thelwall, of Hull, writer :—" Mrs. Forbes states that Mrs. Yelverton was in Edinburgh the whole week' previous to the marriage of Major Yelverton with Mrs. Forbes, that Mrs. Yelverton knew of it and spoke of it, and further, that the story of the Scotch mar riage was not put forward for two years after it was al leged to hays taken place.' These statements are utterly and entirely untrue ; the facts are the following :—On Friday, June 25, 1858, I met Mrs. Y lverton at Leith. She had that day arrived by steamboat from London. Major Yel verton called on her that evening. The following morning he was married to Mrs. Forbes, and the same morning his brother called upon Mrs. Yelverton, who was too unwell to speck to him, but he informed me that the major was out of town. On Sunday the 27th, Mrs. Stalker told me that she had seen Major Yelverton riding past with a lady,whom she supposed to be Mrs. Yelverton until she saw her face. On Tuesday the 29th, Mrs. Yelverton heard o the marriage for the first time, in my presence, and her brother-in-law, Mr. Bellamy, was sent for by telegraph. Immediately after this proceedings were commenced against the major for bigamy, and both the Scotch and Irish marriages were brought against him." Another correspondent, the Hon. W.H. Yelvert,n, uncle of Major Yelverton, denies what is usually accepted as a fact when the case is referred to—that Major Yelverton was under some difficulty with the uncle, who held his nephew's bonds for money lent, with the view of prevent ing the marriage until the bond wai paid. Mr. Yelverton says--" To the best of my recollection I never lent Major Yelverton any money, not even an occasional sum."—The third correspondent of the Examiner, " A Woman," takes up the case of Mrs. Theresa Yelverton with great warmth, and defends the conduct of that lady at considerable length. On the point of "gentle blood," about which Major Yelverton showed himself so precise at the Dublin trial, "A Woman" says :—" Lord Av mmore has or had a small, very small property—Belleisle --not entailed. In the last generation, the then Lord's br, thor, Augustus Yel verton, made a marriage less favout able even than the one so bitterly discussed, and lived principally in the Isle of Man. His daughter held a subordinate position in the family of Mr. Severn, at Narberth, Carmarthenshire, and was involved in family troubles and scandals with which the public have no concern. In the present generation, one daughter, Mrs. Goring, is in New Zealand ; one is married to a Captain Harvey *one to James Walker, ad vocate in Edinburgh ; and one to Mr. or Colonel Lyons. What there is in the position of these parties to make Theresa Longworth unworthy of mating among them it is difficult to explain. DEATH OF A GEOLOGIST.--It is with very great regret we have to record a melancholy accident, by which the Island Geologist, Mr. Lucas Barrett, lost his life Ths unfortunate gentleman engaged a boat at Port Royal, for the purpose of diving in the harbour, and, on reaching the spot, adjusted the diving apparatus about his person and at once descended ; but he neglected, it seems, to take the precaution of attaching a particular rope around his body, preferring, he said, to hold it in his hand. He had been down for about 20 minu'es, when suddenly, to the horror of the boatmen, his body appeared on the surface of the water a little distance from the boat, floating as if life were extinct. With all speed they drew it into the boat, when their worst fears were confirmed, the poor gentleman being found quite dead.---,Kbigstm (Jamaica) illyrning Journal, Mr. W. Cooper, in opening the case, said the prisoners belonged to the Corps of Commissionaires, a very useful body, selected from men who had borne a good character in the army, and were discharged with a pension. These men were employed in.-situations of trust, and especially at the International Exhibition; and were also employed at the Smithfield Club Cattle Show, which was hold on this occa sion at the new Agricultural Hall, at Islington, as money takers, and on a certain day, which would be stated in evi • dence by the witnesses, Fenner and Ward were stationed at a turnstile near the eastern entrance, for the purpose of faking money of those persons who paid for admission. Suspicion had previously existed as to the honesty of these men, and they were removed from the turnstile where they had previously been to the one in question, and Devitt, a constable of the N division, was engaged to attend in plain clothes and watch their proceedings. He accordingly kept watch upon them, and while so employed he saw Ward take several shillings in one hand, and with the other transfer them to his coat pocket. Ward then went away, leaving the turnstile to Fenner, who in his turn also abstracted some of the receipts of the exhibition. When these men were asked the amount they each had in their possession their answers did not at all agree with the money actually found on them. It would also be proved that several persons were allowed to pass through byopening a gate, which should only be opened to exhibitors, instead of passing them through the turnstiles, when the instrument would have recorded the number of admissions against them. He should then call the witnesses. Peter Devitt, 92N, said on Dec. 12 he was on duty at the Agricultural Hall during the Smithfield Club Cattle Show, and from information he received he watched Ward, who was money-taker at the east entrance, and Fenner was at the stile to let each person through. When the money was put on the plate of the stile, Ward drew it along the plate into a money-box. About four o'clock he saw several per sons going in, and as the money was put on the plate he saw him pick up some with his right hand and put it into his left. He saw seven or eight persons pass in, and every shilling he picked up that way he did not put into the box, Fenner stood by his side, and as he looked at Ward he put his hand under his coat to his pocket. Ward said something to Fenner, left his post, and then went into the street, leaving Fenner in his place as money•taker. O'Hara then came from the cloak-room adjoining the turnstile and spoke to Fenner. He leaned on the turnstile to the right of Fenner, and every shilling that was put down Former passed along the plate to O'Hara, who took it up. He held it in his right hand, and with a piece of wood he thrust it into the slit in the money-box as though it was blocked up. He did not put the money-box back, but went away with it to the cloak-room. Ward then returned to his place as money taker, and Fenner and O'Hara afterwards went into the cloak-room several times together. While witness was standing near he heard Ward tell Fenner to pass about nine or ten people through a gate where there was no turnstile, saying that the style had gone round by mistake. After that Fenner returned the stile and put money for about ten minutes into the box. Twice after that he saw Ward keep several shillings, which he put under his coat and went away, when Fenner acted as money-taker, and O'Hara was talking to him. He then caw Fenner take several shillings up and slip his hand into his pocket, which was done repeatedly. He saw several persons passed by Fenner and O'Hara through the gate where there was no turnstile, by Ward's direction. The pri soners were eventually taken into the cloak-room, and he asked Ward how much money he had about him, and he said he thought he had about Li or £5, On searching him, in his waistcoat and trousers pocket he found £7 17s. 3d., all in silver. He then asked Fenner how much he had, and he said about Ll ; and £1 7s. 4d. in silver was found. The jury found Fenner guilty, and O'Hara not guilty. In answer to questions from the Assistant-Judge, Captain Peach said that the prisoners had hitherto borne a good character in every respect, or he should not have re commended them to the secretary of the society. They were employed in the same capacity at the International Exhibi tion. These men were recommended to the Royal Commis sioners, who employed them as they pleased, but Ward and Fenner were employed as money-takers. The foreman of the jury said they wished to recommend the prisoners Ward and Fenner to mercy. The Assistant-Judge said as these men had had each a pension of Is. lid. per day for a long period he supposed they would lose it. Captain Peach said they would, and as they had always borne a most excellent character, this charge had altogether taken him by surprise. William Hays, sergeant-major in the Coldstream Guards, said he had known Ward ever since 1855, and he had always borne the strictest character for honesty. He had been trusted with from L5O to CO at a time, and during the whole period with thousands, and there was not the slightest stain on his character. The Assistant-J udge,having commented upon the offence, sentenced the prisoners to be imprisoned and kept to hard labour for six months. Thomas Hemmings, 56, Amelia Hemmings,4o, and Jacob NPLaskey, 18, were indicted for unlawfully keeping a cer tain disorderly house. Mr. Taylor prosecuted on the part of the authorities of the parish of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, and Mr. Ribton and Mr. Park appeared for the prisoners. From the evidence it appears that the two elder prisoners on the 4th of November opened the house No. 39, Leicester square, ostensibly as a refreshment-house, under the new act, but it was resorted to by men and women of the worst character, who, under the pretence of being supplied with refreshments, went there for very different purposes, so much so that the house in a short time became a great nuisance to the neighbours. One of the neighbours stated that girls not more than twelve years of age accom panied men to the house besides numerous others and older prostitutes. The former occupier of the house, which was then of an infamous character, was indicted at the beginning of May, convicted, and sentenced to be imprisoned for 12 months or to pay a penalty of £lOO, and the reopening of the house for similar purposes, after what had so recently transpired, took the parish authorities by surprise, and steps were immediately taken to put a stop to it. As soon as the character of the house was made known a policeman waited upon the male prisoner, and told bim that if he intended to keep the house open as it had hitherto been, most assuredly an indictment would be lodged against him ; but this in timation he received with the utmo,t contempt, and said as he was a licensed refreshment-house keeper, that he did not care anything about the parish. He only sold refreshments, and having been paid for them he had nothing to do with what was done by customers while they were in his house. The practice was, in some instances, to charge persons as much as 4s. each for a cup of coffee, and other articles in similar proportion. Sergeants Appleton and Horsey, of the C division,bore testimony to the character of the women who used the house, and said that, on a particular evening, they found the rooms upstairs occupied by men and women of the worst character. The younger prisoner, who ap peared to have been on the premises,was employed as errand boy, but it did not appear that he took any further part in the business carried on. The Jury found the elder prisoners guilty, and the boy M'Laskey not guilty. Sergeant Appleton said he had known the elder pri soner for some years, and was, at the time he was taken into custody for ihis offence, the proprietor of three other bad houses. The Assistant-Judge animadverted on the infamous con duct of the male prisoner in receiving into his den young females for the purposes of prostitution, but he thought that, by a clever arrangement he had made, he could carry on these offences with impunity, and set the parish autho rities at defiance. Only in May last a man had been con victed of a similar offence for the same house, sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment, and to pay a fine of £lOO. Now that was the sentence the Court would pass on him, viz., that he be imprisoned for 12 months, that he pay a fine of £lOO, and that he be kept in prison until such fine he paid. As to the woman there was a difference in her case, and the sentence upon her was, that she be imprisoned for six months. William John Ricketts, 43, porter, pleaded guilty to stealing 800 ounces of silver, value £2OO, the property of Ilyld, Holden, Betts, and Co., his masters and employers. The prisoner was in the employ of the prosecutors, who have a town agency in Long-acre, but the manufactory is at Birmingham. The prisoner was employed in the shop, a• d had access to the drawer containing fine silver. On the 6th January, on the assistant going to the drawer and weighing the silver, a deficiency was found of 800ozs. The prisoner on being spoken to afterwards weighed it, and it appeared to be all right, but on examining 20 of the parcels, instead of containing fine silver, they were found to be iron, and merely covered with silver. The prisoner was subsequently given into custody for stealing the silver. The prisoner said he was driven to do this to support a large family. The Assistant-Judge sentenced the prisoner to be kept in penal servitude for three years. MIDDLESEX SESSIONS—Jan. 19. Thomas Ward, 40, George Fenner, 43; and Michael O'Hara, 31, were severally indicted—Thomas Ward and George Fenner for feloniously embezzling the sum of £8 re ceived by them for and on account, and in the name of, the Agricultural Hall Company (Limited), their masters and employers; and Michael O'Hara being present did feloni ously abet and assist the said Thomas Ward and George Fenner to do and c .mmit this felony. Mr. Cooper prosecuted, instructed by Messrs. J. and T. Wakeling. Mr. Orridge defended Ward. Mr. Poland ap peared for O'Hara. Fenner was undefended. Ward pleaded guilty. (Before Mr. Payne.) Neal M'Hugh, 19, was indicted for unlawfully and ma liciously cutting and wounding Francis M'Hugh. The prosecutor is tho brother of the prisoner, the mother of them living in Northumberland•street, Paddington. On the afternoon of the Ist of January the two brothers met there, and a dispute arose between them. The prisoner said his brother had been giving his mother some liquor, which he denied. The prosecutor shoved him aside, upon which the prisoner took up a knife, with which he struck the pro secutor two or three times, wounding him on the ear and face. His coat was also cut through. He afterwards struck his father two or three times with the knife. The prisoner, .who pleaded guilty, expressed his contri tion for what had occurred, and said he did this in the heat of Passion, and was drunk at the time, He paid further, Philip Hepher, police-constable 99 E, stated that at half paat_six on the morning of the 7th of January he saw the prisoner and another man not in custody running along the pavement by the side of a cab in New Oxford-street. Wit ness crossed over and ran by the side of the cab himself. At the corner of Tottenham-cour.t-road ho saw the prisoner get up behind the cab and pull a box from the top of it to the ground. He jumped down, when witness went up to him and took him into custody on the charge of stealing the box. The other man got away. Mrs. Theresa llill, wife of Henry Hill, of Westbury, Wilts, said the box was her property, and contained chil dren's wearing apparel. Her husband and herself were in the cab, and were on their way to the Paddington station of the Great Western Railway, to go by the train. The driver of the cab missed the box at the corner of Tottenham-court road, and turned round, when he saw the prisoner in cus tody and the box on the ground. The Jury found the prisoner guilty. Edward Hancock, 477 City Police, said he had known the prisoner many years. In October, 1855, he was tried at these sessions, and sentenced to two years' imprisonment ; on the 30th September he was sentenced to 12 months' im • prisonment for picking pockets ; in April, 1859, he was con victed at the Central Criminal Court, and sentenced to four years' penal servitude; and on the Ist September he was committed from the Mansion House for three months for attempting to pick pockets. Mr. Payne said that long terms and short terms of pun ishment had proved altogether unavailing to deter the pri soner from the commission of crime, and the sentence upon him now was that he be kept in penal servitude for ten years. Mr. Rowden prosecuted, Mr. Dickie defended the pri soner. James Donovan and Moss Lyons, convicted last session of a daring watch robbery at Hackney-wick, during the foot-races, were brought up for judgment. It was proved that Donovan was an old offender, and Lyons had been previously convicted. Mr. Payne sentenced Lyons to be imprisoned for twelve months, and Donovan to be kept in penal servitude for seven years. COUNTRY MARKETS. COLCHESTER-JAN. 17. At this corn exchange to-day there was a fair show of wheat for the season, and trade slow at last week's rates. Fine barley was again scarce, but a firm trade, and many samples realised is over previous prices. Beans were the turn dearer, and peas at last week's rates. Wheat, white 46s 52s Beans, Mazagan..3os 3 34 red 42s 48s middle & small.3ss 420 Barley Oats that his brother was very insulting to him, and struck him on the forehead. Mr. Payne sentenced him to be imprisoned for three months. James Mahoney, alias Carrick, was indiei,e 1 for stealing a quantity of wearing apparel, value £2, the property of Henry Hill. GLOUCESTER-JAN. 17. To-day there was a good supply of English wheat, which sold at prices in favour of buyers. Foreign was in limited request. Malting barley also in request, and in some in' stances slightly advanced. Beans and oats as before. IRD--JAN. 17. ie same as last week, with a doing. teas, Partridge., 378 400 White 39 8 400 Boiling 4os 430 Dun 35s 380 Ditto new - -8 --s Beans, Tick, old 348 390 new —g Harrow Ticks 3ss 400 new. —g --° Mazagan 3os 380 CHELMSFO All kinds of grain were ti moderate amount of business Wheat, old white 37s 54s new 37s 51s old red 42s 50s new 38s 48s Barley 2 , F3 36s Chevalier 2Bs 39s Grinding ..228 31s Malt.... Chevalier 64s 69s Oats 20s 28s KIRKCALDY GRAIN—IAN. 17. We had good supplies of all kinds of grain. Barley 6 d per quarter, and wheat is cheaper than last week. Oat° bought up at the same rates as last week. Wheat. Barley. Oats. First.... 33s Od 18s Od I 16s 6d Second .. 38s Od 24s Od 21s Od Third....—s Od Od —8 Od COAL 11 Prices of Coal per Ton ai ARKET. the olose of the market. s. d. B addle' s West Hartley 16 3 Cowpen Hartley 16 3 Hastings Hartley l6 3 Carway and Dutfryn Malting 22 6 Do. Anthracite 20 6 Wylam ..16 3 Lambert's West Hart ley l6 3 Taniield Moor Butes 13 6 Ships at mark( West Hartley 16 Walls End. Tunstall 19 u,, Hetton .. South Hetton 19 Braddyll's Hetton 18 3 IRussel's Hetton 18 i q . i Cassop Hough Hall 17 9 it, 31; sold, 24. Foreign Mail Packet List. MAILS DUE. Australia and Mauritius, via Southampton ..Jan. 18 via Marseilles Feb. 12. Jrazil and Cape Verde, by British packet. Feb. 3 Cape of Good Hope, Ascension, and St. Helena Feb. 1. China, Penang, and Singapore, via Southampton Jan. 18. via Marseilles Jan. 27. Falkland Islands Gibraltar, via South am pt on .. Jan. 1 8 ' India (Calcutta), and Ceylon, via Southampton Jan. 18 via Marseilles Jan. 27. India (Bombay), via Southampton via Marseilles Jan.-20. Feb. 3. Malta, Egypt, and Ad en, via Southampton Jan. 18. Newfoundland via Marseilles Jan, 2u, ' ' Oporto and Vigo U. S. and British N. America, by Brit. packet.... Jan. 21. by U.S. packet.... by Canadian packer. j am 16. W.C. of Africa, Madeira, and Teneritle Feb. 10. Bahamas, via New York Jan. 15. ;Mexico Jan. 28. All parts of West Indies, including Chili, Peru, I Jan. 2s, California, and British Columbia.. How TO SECURE A GOOD CROP OF POTATOES.'-' We invite those who are fond of experiments to plant a piece with a first-class late potato—such as the Fluke, for instance—and to proceed in this way. The ground is to be in good tilth from having been trenched and laid up rough, and there is to be no manure used in preparing i t for planting. Level it down, and plant it all over With moderate sized whole sets, four feet apart every way. P i g right and left between the sets narrow trenches, and With the stuff from these cover the sets six inches deep, so that each form a hillock. Now manure these trenches, an d when the time comes appropriate them for cabbage and broc" coli ; and to keep down weeds hoe the sides of the hillocks in dry weather, and draw all the crumbs upwards toward s the collar of the plant. The depth of earth will prevent the haulm rising till all danger of spring frost is over, and then as it extends it may be allowed to hang down the sides a the hills as it pleases. As for the rest, nothing more neg . a be said exc e pt th a t on suc h an experimental piece there 011 probably be a far larger produce in the end, for if the bulk of the potatoes is less, they will more than compensate for that in quality. The desire to snatch from the ground mor ° than it is capable of giving has been one of the main causes of potato disease.—Gardeners' Weekly Magazine and 7 1 °' rieultural Cabinet. [ADVERTISEMENT.]--Holloway's Pills—Mothers an ti Daughters.—Pure blood and regularity of functionS. Both these important ends can be obtained withou t she ck or injury to any organ, by taking Holloway's far' famed purifying Pills, which sustain and strengthen' while they improve every human function. When these Pills have rivetted their cleansing powers on the bodit no deleterious agent can keep its place therein —no olr, noxious matter can r e t a i n it s h o ld th ereon. U n i ve rsal bodily purification attends th e i r use , an d i n t e ll ec t ua l o lgolt follows of course. As preventives ,of ill health, Holloway ' s Pills stand superio r t o an y ot h er medicine ; and tbe, l , soothing, supporting, y e t revu l s i ve properties, admirably adapt them for general use by the young and old of th e female sex. Births. Gonu.—On the 18th inst., at 18, Chesham-place, the wif e of W. F. Ormsby Gore, Esq., M.P., of a son OSWALD.—On the 18th inst., at 5, Park-place west, Gl°, tl ; tester-gate, Regent' s - par k , the wife of Eugene Oswty" of a son. WARD. —On the 16th inst., at Rosehill Cottag W e, Winches' ter, th e w if e of Major Edward Bernard ard, 60/ Rifles, of a son. Marriages. DAVENPORT—LIDDON.—On the 15th inst., at Christ Church, Clifton, Charles J. Davenport, Esq., M.D., A- B ; sistant-Surgeon of the Carabineers, to Katharine, second daughter of Capt. Liddon, R.N., Clifton. GALBRAITH—WALLACE. — On the 15th inst., at the parish church, Walton, Hugh James Galbraith, Esq., no" chant, London, to Kate, third daughter of Jae. Wallace, Esq., Annfield, near Liverpool. Deaths. A LDILICII.—On the 15th hist Mr. SIIIIIUO 1 Aldrich, °I Hampstead, aged 53. BAKER —On the 18th inst, at 3, Mary's-place, Park-roa d New Peckham, John Baker, .E,q , aged 71. BRAHAM.—On the 22d Dec., 186 ), at Rochester, Nea t ' John Hamilton Brahatn, aged 43, the eldest son of th e late John Bruhani, much and justly r egrette d 11 numerous circle of friends. BURBIDGE.—On the 19,h inst., at 190, St. Paul's-roa cl P Islington, M r . J o h n B ur bid ge, late of 74 Aldersgate, street, aged 78. GREEN; —On the 17th inst., at 7, ifanover-terrace, gent's•park, Richard Green, Esq., of Blackwall, ag e 59. OL L DING.—On the 14th inst., Stephen Olding, Esq.' Lower Claptonpt, aged 80. , and Clernent's•lane, Lombard-Ore RoGEus.—On the 16th inst., at his residence, Mallow'lreland, George John Rogers, Esq., formerly of chester - butldings, Westminster, and l a t e o f Sydneif N London : Printed and Published by WILLIAM ANDEV" of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at THE SUN °like, No• 112, Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the Cant" of 311 tidle§ex,—TtletidaY, January 20 , 1803.