The Sun. — London, England, 1863-09-04 00:00:00

le days ay Lind vague. ,proach- Rachel, ;special r, I also is with begins : sons in Rubinit 1 to call. ,rs mu9L late for yntinued oice and a great 7tS ; and proved. 7als who t is only 814 who d superb roines of te tresses, ssioned ; B been to has since eless the nit. The agher ; ne could d in Lon • gher was auty and airamicle, tubini, so ager, and, king sys • was to be ea of cos 31y by his energy; was at produced nopensa- moments, er Rachel a passage I said, its of bra e. Never been pre o act, and the tenor s. So pie- is also 0 )uld never ,übini as he public handsome id execu , but I do ler& gie 3 the line• n Juan he iny. Tll of Tam he singing omparabln dacha was ling wen has boa lending n° ,rra stacato a clarion• 3 grandeur it fanciful Ise superi d to aul• wheat visa La high as :e as dear. , d hands at ve, and LE. lerablo at• of rain! 6 w English han outing d dern 6 vi d • before , . u _ t I nd iudia" r of wheat? currencies• tc, and 40g Ling, 36s to 24s to 30s 44s.per qr. grd barley', 6g os 9 a to ich met t ' Barley me t Beans 'well i ld up• 1 5d dovni. 1 10d dool. 5 3d up• 3 qrs ) qrs 5 qrs 0 qrs 38$ Od i ay, and the The nine Bek ' s pr i ce a, rge, - ,6}d to I g la 5d to 04 d per stove 9 id. ..Sept. 18' Z• Nept. ...Oct. + 5. ▪ . Sept. it )n. Sept. ...Sept. 'd 11 • • .SePt. V; . 1.. Sept. 5 . Sept. ..Sept. Oct. o' ' .. . Sept. Sept. AO ..Sept. it' 4 0 % , „ S e pt. I, ~.Sept. ...Sept. 4. 01 . 1 Sept. 14' The Ne ll appointea. be made ill ;orge Barri' White lolll Lre, the iv ii c e i a aou 013 4ee, the Wife Gl° ll ' bury, *taiy of L 0 la Conatalic me. hell enb:76: Y, to SoP: -Lsq., su° SoufW rl4 ged 65. 0• , Mrs. A• ties So rne6 n, of iticil" use W °°6'. '2. Sham Paddingt°l3° • g ,11 f A NI )11' 2 NO. 11 Y be oc 1 RENT ENT BUR, WE SUP AT EVANS' EVERY EVENING THIS WEEK after Alfred Mellon's Promenade Concerts. SEA. -VAC kNCIES f or MIDSHIPMEN rind APPRENTICES in a first-class London shipping firm. Premium moderate. Al , o apprentices without premium.— APply to SIMMONDS and Co.. 38, St. Mary-at-hill, East- Cheap, E.C. Third officers and Stewards wanted. THE ROYAL INSURANCE COMPANY. nEAD OFFICES, 2 9, Lombard -street, London, and Royal Insurance buildings. Liverpoel, Total Annual Revenue exceeds £soo,o'o. Accumulated Funds in hand over 1 OOO,OOO. Chairman in Liverpool : CHARLES TURNER, Esq., M.P. Chairman in London WILLIAM WAINWRIGHT, Esq. E.XTRA.CTS FROM THE REPORT FOR THE YEAR 1862. The Directors of the Royal Insurance Company are now called upon to make their accustomed periodical Report at the Meeting of its Shareholders. FIRE BRANCH. The Directors have, as pleasingly as unexpectedly , at t he close of the year, to announce, for the first time, that the Fire Premiums have not only reached, but exceed £300,000. The high comparative position held by the Royal in the Government Returns of Duty is again fully maintained. The profit of the business of the year exceeds considerably the amount realised in the preceding year, and in fact sur- Passes that of any rear, with but two exceptions, since the commencement of this Office, the balance to the credit on account of British and Foreign Insurances being £45,107 10s. 6,1 -, and of the North American business, which's kept sepa. rately, £11,097 16s. 10d. LIFE BRANC IT. The very gratifying duty now falls upon the Directors to state the sum assured on n-w policies for fhe year 1862 exceeds even that of the year 1861 by £lBO,OOO, and has arrived at the almost unexampled amount for a single year of £701,427 on 1,408 new p olicies issued. Until within the last few years it is believed that such a sum assured as that which has just been announced as the result of one year's business Was all but unheard of. This portion of the Company's business has been carefully 'Watched, and cannot fail to give much satisfaction to the Shareholder, as well as no small encouragement for the hut. re to the participating life assurer. Evidence of continued care in the selection of lives is amply afforded by a statement of the number rejected. These have amounted to 311 for the year, on which the aggregate soul proposed for assuran mounts to 43.28 1 . Various degrees of ineligibility have led to these lives being declined. No small number of the Assurance t ompanies of the day record their accepted lives annually at a sum not much, if at all, exceeding those which the Royal has declared as in admis sitle in a single year from deterioration of some kind or another. If, to complete their review, the Directors now advert briefly to the United Kingdom, they have to announce that in Fire Business its progress has been undoubtedly more rauid than that of any other Company established either in London or elsewhere, except when amalgamations have taken place. The returns of duty have proved this. In Life, the amount of New Policies already reported make all other evidence needless. The Directors conclude their present Report with the expression of an opinion that the prospects of the Royal Insurance Company were never brighter, and of a consequent hope, founded on a grateful remembrance of the past, that the future may unfold for it a sphere of still greater magni tude, combining distinguished commercial success to the Office with a lengthened career of usefulness and protection to the public. PERCY M. DOVE, Manager and Actuary. JOHN B. JOHNSTON, Secretary in London. N ORWICH UNION FIRE INSURANCE SOCIETY. • The business of the Company exceeds £70,000,000. The duty paid to Government for the year 1862 was £85,062, and the amount insured on farming stock, £10,086,332. A bonus of three-fifths of the profits periodically made to parties insuring, who have thus, from time to time, received sums amounting in the aggregate to £410,000 ; and the Society now holds a large Reserve applicable to a tuture Bonus. The rates of premium are In no case higher than those charged by the other principal offices making no returns to their insurers. For proTectuses apply at the Society's Offices, Surrey street, Norwich ; and 6, Crescent, New Bridge-street, Black friars, E.C. PROVIDENT CLERKS' MUTUAL LIFE AS6OCIATION. Established 1840. TRUSTEES. Thomas Baring, Esq., M.P. Wm. Geo. Prescott, Esq. I Th omson Hankey, Esq., M.P. Baron L. de Rothschild, M.P. Mutual Life Assurance for all classes. T his Association has now in existence 6,000 policies, for a total sum of £1,500,000. The Annual Income is .. £51,000 The Accumulated Fund exceeds .. 2r0, 1 00 It has paid in Claims .. 112,000 hThe whole of the profits are divided quinquennially among en embers. Three divisions have already been made' n the following sums have been added as bonuses to the Policies Dec. 31, 1847 .. 1852 .. ~ 1857 .. ~, 1862 m alting the file total bonus additions, £96,600. ti Bonuses ina3, be received in clsh or applied to the reduc addition °I premiums at the option of the assured, in lieu of an , iition to the ol cy. Attention is especially invited to the system of free or paid np introduced by this Association, by which the -aeri fice so ofte n submitted to on the relinquishment of The alanc icY b is wholly avoided. e-sheets of the Association are open to all, Whether assurers or otherwise. Ac tive and influential agents will be appointed in unrepre sented districts. X 5,400 11,500 23 200 56,500 Chief WM. THOS. LINFORD, Secretary , Office, 15, M oorza te-street, E.C., Aug 1, 1863. A.D. 1720. irt °Y AL EXCHANGE ASSURANCE CORPORATION (Established by Charter of his Majesty George the First) FOR SEA, FIRE, LIFE, AND ANNUITIES. Offices, Royal Exchange, London. Branch Office, 20,11111-mall. OCTAVIUS WIGRAM, rsq., Governor. k,roncr: PEARKES BARCLAY, Esq., Sub-Governor. Sir JOHN HENRY FEELY, Bart., Deputy-Governor. DIRECTORS. Wiimot Holland, Esq. Earl of Leven and Melville. Chas. Jno. Manning, Esq. Henry Nelson, Esq. The Hon. Josceline W. Percy. Charles Robinson, Esq. Samuel Leo Schuster, Esq. Eric Carrington Smith, Esq. William Soltau, Esq. Joseph Somes, Esq., M.P. William Wallace, Esq. Chas. Baring Young, Esq. nervy Bainbridge, Esq. Robert Barclay, Esq. ' jo hn Garratt Cattlev, Esq Mark Currie Close, Pscl• William Davidson, Esq. Th omas Dent, Esq,_ Alexander Druce, Esq- Pr edk. Jos. Edlmann, Esq. Ri versdaleW. Grenlell, Esq. Rat. Amadeus Heath, Esq. W., in. Tetlow Hibbert, Esq.' ° as. Stewart Hodgson, Esq. - _ Medical Referee, SAMUEL SOLLY, Esq., F.R.S. FIRE and LIFE ASSURANCES may b e e ff ec t e d w ith this corporation on advantageous terms. In the Life Department, assurances are granted with par ticipation in Profits, or, at lower Premiums, without such participation. The Reversionary Bonus on British Policies has averaged nearly 2 per cent. per annum on the sum assured. Equivalent reductions have been made in the Premiums payable by persons who preferred that form of Bonus. The divisions of Profit take place every Five years. Life. Any sum not ex cee di ng £15,000 ma y b e i nsured on one This Corporation affords to the Assured—' Liberal participation in Profits—with exemption from the liabilities of partnership. A rate of Bonus equal to the average returns of Mutual Societies—with the guarantee of a large invested Capital Stock. The advantages of modern practice,—with the security of an Office whose resources have been tested by the ex perience The Corporation have always allowed the Assured to serve in the Militia, Yeomanry, or Volunteer Corps within the United Kingdom, free of charge. ROYAL EXCHANGE, LONDON. ROBT. P. STEELE, Secretary. N ORTH BRITISH AND MERCANTILE INSIT RANCE COMPANY. Established 1809. Incorporated by Royal Charter and Special Acts of Parliament. ACCUMULATED AND INVESTED FUNDS, £2,122,828. ANNUAL REVENUE, £422,401. LONDON BOARD. J ohn White Cater, Esq., P. du Pre Grenfell, Esq. Chairman. A. Klockmann, Esq. Charley Morrison, Esq., De- John Monett, Esq. A . P I SY chairman. J u n ius S. Morgan, Esq. -a• De Arroyave, Esq. G. Gar den Nicol, Esq. Edward Cohen, Esq. John H. Wm. Schroder, Esq. ;Awn: rll e ... s it ; aa u lmitp u bE i e s sl s ql o ,. n E , s E:q. George Young, Esq . EX-DIRECTORS. ! Robert Smith, Esq. ,-. I_,: Cavan, Esq• Frederic Somes, Esq. M "aor of Fire Department—Georg' H. Whyting. Man an_P'n_ ager of Life Department—W. F. Birkmyre. ute ndent of Foreign Department—G. H. Burnett. Secretary—F. W. Lance. General Manager—David Smith The Co FIRE DE PARTMENT. , ' .n.ingd on) - 7 an( ily al e-r lf l o i ri t e s ia l n ns eo ur tu an t c r e ie s s a . gainst Fire in the United Mercantile Risks the Port of London accepted at ono,. In ~, rates re- Losses • ]edge elem le P r ip mk p a tLy T a h n e d I D lb i e r r ec al t l o y r Zettled. having apractical theknow of foreign. co utries are prepared to io_ n , most fav oura'de u terms. • In all cases a discount will be allowed to Merchants and others effecting such Insurances, durin g 'l: h e LIFE DEPARTMENT the las few years following Statement exhibits the improvement effected _No. of Policies Premiums. 1051 ........ 188 4 11 5 e 5 d. ....... . X.387u7m.428.5 • 1819 ........ 6"35 449 5 ,9 64 1 9 3 14,070 1 6 18 0 ........ 741 ........ . ....... 4 • , 1811 7Bl ........ 627,6 !1, i 7) 1862.,'...'..... 1, , 37 ........ 768,3.34 Thus in five years the number or Policies issue 2 d l w ,64 a l s 3, 0 6 2 3 0 , assuring the large sum of £2,928 917. The leading features of the Office are:- 1. Entire Se urity to Assurers. 2. The large Bonus additions already declared, and the prospect of a further Bonus at the next investiga tion. 3. The advantages afforded by varied Tables of premiums --..--unrestreted conzdi_tlonis of Policies—and general hb _ ei : alit p y o i s n a i d a e n a d lin eve r y t i t ni t o h r e in A tsisured Forms of Vro on app'leation at the BEAD OFFICES : .... LON DON it .. c .. u . . .... 6458:, on will be u 4, INT.rehiwnrcee;3lsdazzeredilleluterni-isditsirnheitcl. EDINIIII • N ORTH BRITISH AN D MER COMPAN Y CANTILE INSANCE WEST-END OFFICE: 8, WATERLOO-PLACE, PALL-MALL. Secretary—ALEX. J. RUSSET.T THE :LAUNDRESSES to ma . THE Queen Adelaide say, that ' BRIGGS' A.I.TSTRAPtY at e S rAuc ne°cls but to be tried to be approved 4-AN Wholesale Agent, llarper Twelvetrees, Bromley b y London, E. ANEVER FAILING REME D Y Dr. SCOTT'S BILIOUS and LIVER ?ILLS, v .:, parol without any mercurial ingr edient, from the recipe o fg; Scott, of Bromley, Bent, will be found invaluable to all Wh o * mtfler I roin bilious and Liver complaints, indigestion, wind, spasms, giddiness, ilizzinesa of the eyes, &c. For habitual costiveness, as a family aperient medicine, and as a purifier of the blood, they are truly excellent ; mild in their opera tion and g•rateful to he stomach, they create appe7ite, pro moteb digestio n, an d streng then the whole nervous system. Sold y London, NV. Lamb ert , 8 , fling William-street, Charing - cross. n and by most drixo ,, ists, in boxes,ls. lid., and three timee the quantity in one, 2a. ltd. Be sure to ask for Dr. Scott's Bilious and Liver Pills. The genuine are a square green package, with " William Lambert," engraved on the stamß No. 22,211. NEW NOVEL by the Author of "COUSIN GEOFFREY." Now ready at all the Libraries, in 3 vols., LEFT TO THEMSELVES. By the Author of "Cousin Geoffrey," &c. " A very touching story. It is one of the most clever boosts of the season."—United Service 3lag. Hurst and Blackett, 13, Great Marlborough-street. Now ready at all the Libraries, in 2 vols., 285., LORD WILLIAM LENNOX'S FIFTY YEARS' BIOGRAPIIICAL REMINISCENCES. "Lord William Lennox has given tt; in these two very charming volumes a pleasant glimpse of society. Ihe wort cannot tail to amuse and interest all who read it."—Sun. Hurst and Blackett, 13, Great Marlborough-street. ARMY CONTRACTS. Commissariat Office, Alderabot, 2fl September, 1863. TENDERS will he received et this office, until noon, on WEDNESDAY, the 30th September, 1863, from persons who may be willing to enter into Contract for the supply of FORAGE, in such quantities as may be required, from Ist November, 1863, to 3 at October, 186,, for the use of Her Majesty's Forces stationed at Aldershot Camp, and within the com mand. Forms of Tender and Conditions of Contract may be ob tained on apAcation at this office, by letter or in person, between the hours of ten and four o'clock. The Tenders must be properly filled up and signed, and delivered at this office (under closed envelope, marked on the outside "Tender for Forage"), and no Tender will be noticed unless made on forms obtained frum this office, and delivered by the hour appointed. HENRY B. MORSE, Deputy Commissary-General. T H X F O R D, (1, OXFORD STREET, W. THIS EVENING, will be performed Operatic Selections from Sir Henry R. Bishop's THE SLAVE and Halevy's MUSKETEERS (first time in England). Principal Artistes—Miss Russell, Miss Ellison, Messrs. Green, Bernardi, Huish, &c., with full band and chorus. Conductor, Mr. F. Jonghmans. Flute Solos by Drew Dean Comic, by UNSWORTH ("or any other man "), Eugene, W. Randall, A. Lloyd, and George Hodson. Also, a Pei formance by Herr SCHALKENBACH on his wonderful instrument, the PIANO ORCHESTRE, contain ing a full band of 40 instruments. The HALL has just been newly Decorated and Ventilated, and is one of the most Beautiful in the Metropolis. Open at 8 o'clock. Admission, 6d. ; stalls and balcony, ls. ; private boxes, 10s. 6d. CANTERBURY HALL " GHOST."—In order to gratify the curiosity of nightly-increasing crowds, Mr. C. MORTON has transferred the representation of Pro fessor Pc pper and Henry Dirks, Esq.'s, world-famed spectral Illusion, " THE GHOST," from the Picture Gallery to the Concert Hall, where a new and elegant stage is erected, affording a more ample view of the Illusion from Stalls, Bal cony, and body of the Hall. He has also arranged for Mr. A. Silvester to give (with all that gentleman's latest im provements and effects), REPRESENTATIONS EACH EVENING, at Ten o'clock. All the other Musical and Pictorial attractions as usual, including* Operatic Selections, dzc. ; Unsworth (the modern Demosthenes), Eugene, Arthur Lloyd, George Hodson, &c. ROYAL ALHAMBRA PALACE. Th e GHOST The GHO.,T ! ! The ONLY COMIC GHOST !! ! —The beautiful FAIRY FOUNTAIN..—A Grand Divertissement by Signora Rachele and Mariannina and Signor Guiseppe Francezco, assisted by a corps of Twenty young Ladies—Selections from favourite Operas : Principals, Miss M‘Gregor, Mr. Albert, Signor Georgini (the new Italian tenor), and Mr. Vernon Rigby. NIC 0 SI A, the Great Violinist, will make his First Appearance in England on Monday next, at the ALHAMBRA. ARGYLL ROOMS. Windmill-street. Pi cca dill y. NOTICE.—The above elegant Rooms will be Opened on SATURDAY, September 5, entirely redecorated under the sole direction of Messrs. Delicourt, of Paris, decorators to the Palaces of the Emperor Napoleon. The artistical work will be done by Messrs. Biggs and assistants. The musical department under the directorship of Mons. Jullien, and chef d'orchestre. The band will be chosen from the Household Troops and the Royal Italian Opera Houses. This celebrated band is well known by the public, and will be called in future the London Band, and will be represented by the best art'sts of the present day. Conductor of the Rooms and Manager, Mons. GRENET. Sole Lessee, R. R. BIGNELL. Admission, ls. ESTABLISHED 1833. BOWDEN'S lERATED GINGER BEER, in glasq or stone bottlers, warranted to keep good twelve months. Lemonade, Soda-water, , 'otass,, Seltzer, and every description of Mineral Waters.—Manufactory, No. 3, White Hart-street, Drury-lane, W C. PAGE'S BRICK, TILE, AND PIPE MACHINE for hand, horse, or steam power, are the most simple and efficiitnt extant.—Ful: particulars and prices obtained of the makers, E. Page and Co , Laurence Pountney place, Laurence I'ountney-hill, Cannon-street, E.C., where they may be seen in operation daily. MONEY PROMPTLY ADVANCED by 8 Private Gentleman upon FURNITURE (without removal'. Leasehold and Freehold Property, or Reversions, .fie., in sums from £2O to £soo.—Mr. Howard, 18, Queen street, Cheapside. TO Persons in WANT of MONEY (in Town or Country).—A GENTLEMAN is willing to MAKE ADVANCES of CAS U. without delay, to respectable person. (male or female), on their own security. The utmost secrecy can-be relied on.—Apply (if by letter enclose four stamps ) to '-V., at lg r. Robertson's, Accountant, 40, King-William-street, London-bridge, E.C.—Money advanced on Dock Warrants. CELEBRATION of the TERCENTENARY of the BIRTH of SHAKSPEARE, at Stratford-upon - Avon. The Tercentenary Committee (of which Sir Robert N. C. Hamilton, Bart., K.C.8., is Chairman) are now receiv ing SUBSCRIPTIONS, and they may also be paid to the account of the Tercentenary Committee, at the Stourbridge and Kidderminster or Warwick and Leamington Banks, Stratford-upon-Avon ; Messrs. Greenway, Smith, and Greenway, Warwick ; or their London agents, Messrs. Smith, Payne, and Co , Messrs Hanburys and Co., or Messrs. Glyn and Co , bankers, London. The Tercentenary Committee, in submitting the subscrip tion list to the nation, most earnestly appeal to the admirers of Shakspeare for their aid and. assistance. The Committee rest their claims upon the ground that Stratford is not only the birthplace of Shakspeare, but the centre of attraction to all admirers of the great Poet's works, and that it was his home, the town he loved, and where he lived and died. ROYAL FREE HOSPITAL, Gray's-inn-road, in the immediate vicinity of the Great Northern Rail way Terminus, at Ring's-cross. Patron—The QUEEN. President —The Duke of BUCCLEUCH, K.G. Treasurer —Edward Masterman, Esq. This was the first hospital to introduce the principle of free and instant admission to the destitute sick, without the for mality of governors' letters. It is entirely devoted to desti tution in its most pitiable form—viz., that which is accom panied by sick ness and disease, ad is now of sufficient magnitude that, wi th adequate supp or t , it ma y b e ren d ere d the capa casual sick of thble (A admitting is into its w ar d s a very l arge proport i on o f great metropolis. It reuires but the funds in order to hav e 500 beds available for the q reception of these the most wretched of our fellow-creatures. Moreover, it gratuitously affords medical advice and medicine to more, on the average, than 3,000 out-patients a week. The Weekly Board feel it their imperative duty to make an EARNEST APPEAL to the public for continued suppcirt, to enable them to admit and relieve the distressing cases that daily present themselves. Contributions are received by the Treasurer, Edward Masterman, Esq., Nicholas -lane ; also by Messrs. Coutts and Co. ; Drummond and Co. Co.;Prescott, ; Berries and Co. ; R ansom and c ); Grote, and Co.; Smith, P a y ne, and Co. ; Glyn and ; ' Jones Loyd and Co. ; B arc l ay and Co. ; Denison a nd Co. ; W lliams, Deacon, and Co. ; O verend, Gurney, and co. ; Nisbet and Co. ; Messrs. J. Bar ne d an d Co., Liverpool d at the Hosp ital STANFORD S. SMITH S ecretary. an. ROYAL NATIONAL LIFEBOAT INSTITUTION (Incorporated by Royal Charter). PATRONESS —Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen. PRESIDENT—Vice -Admiral the Duke of Northumberla n d , K.G., F.R.S. fiErCuirtrt-ICRimiAAilln—MAN—LTrthaorminags' E Clisciap”m3r.anP'' P.R Chapman, P.P. It.S.,V V.P. hTelle,e4(l.7nomnizi,totefethoet APPEAL. year 1860, Management have ßoy to Royal National that since in fe s bo c a e t Institution has expended L 32,000 on various Lifeboat Estab lishments “n the toasts of Eng' and, Scotland, and Ireland. The number of lives saved by the Lite-boats of the Society. , nd other means, since its formation, is 12,800; tor which services 82 Gold Medals, 718 Silver Medals, and £16,480 in cash have been paid in rewards. The Institu tion has also expended £67, 1 00 on Life-boats, Life-boat Transporting-carriages, and Boat-houses. The Committee desire to express their grateful sense of the generous support which they have received from the British public during the past few years, a support which has enabled them to establish their present magnificent fleet or 123 Lifeboats on the shores of the United Kingdom Deeply sensible, however, of the great responsibility that rests on them to maintain their fleet in a thoroughly efficient state, and its Crews practised in the managetnent of their boats, whi ii can only be effected by a large and permanent annual income, they earnestly appeal to all classes of their countrymen to aid them in upholding and perpetuating so great and truly national a work. The Committee gratefully acknowledge the following con t ributions : £ a. d Tier Majesty the Queen • • • • .. annual 5.0 0 0 Campbell, the Hon. Mrs. G. .. .. .. annual 5 0 0 Clerk, Colonel, R.A. • • • • • • .. annual 1 1 0 (butts and Co.' M e ssrs., Bankers .. .. annual 10 0 0 ' Currie, Wm. .I,:sq., • • • • •• .. 4 th don.lo 0 0 Erle, Lord Chief Justice .• .. .. .. .. . • .. 250 0 0 don. 10 10 0 Fanshawe, Vice-Admiral Sir A., K.C.B. • • 2d don. 25 0 0 et Smitheionpvo emord,rei Stirling, i k b3; , :er G. : 4 . .t . a:G . ,: I -, cr. E . 0 , i B. arri E geg.. s se. b q y . , , cost of a Lifeboat and Tra n - ...... annual 2 3 0 0 0 0 Fl arvey, Rev. G. G. and Mrs. • .• .. don. 0 0 Martin, Sir Henry, Bart . • .. .. 7th don. 10 0 0 don. 15 15 0 tir ling, Col. Sir Anthony, Thomas Lad w t suer-Mare, collectedby her Ladyship 16 es on- p Wlllotio u i b' Gre • Greenw ich K.C.B.Ki cl .. .• .. 16 16 0 annual 5 0 0 Do . nations and Annual Suhscriptions will be thankfully re l'ercival herd .. .. .. all 4 Bankers - • and Bankers of the Institution, Messrs. , Willis, Co., 59, Str James,g.s.talul; Co.,essrs. Berries, Farquhar.Co., 6, St. Co. 76, Lombard-street; Nes a se n s d . C c outt i s and the S , London ,• by a w l the Collecto of Customs Richard 1.,x7 i 1 0 1 the UnitedKindom; and by Secretary John - street, Ad , e r o B l :4 4 ., L at the Office of the Institution, )4, 011340/b /~~~~~ i"‘...ter c.z..ci:" 6:OT 11...e 211 ,„, . 5H444111L;7.;- #l, M • 1 - 11011 •- ; Y G ` s u s V'S %INV' ‘7• 4:, ,71rAY) 1 c :: . . , :r OE: 4 1, aiiirrtvit o -/?2 , , - 4.4 14,1 N... a 0i , - 41111111 ' DIE it' 4/hT 1 7 , • THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 4, 1863, GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, That the Meeting of this Company, to be held in London, on Friday, the 18th day of September, 1863, will be made Special, for the follow ing purposes, that is to say : To consider and approve an Agreement between the Great Western Railway Company and the Uxbridge and Riekmans worth Railway Company, under the provisions of " The Ux bridge and itickmansworth Railway Act. 1561." for the use, woraing, and maintenance of the Railway of the latter Com pany, and for other purposes. To consider and approve a Lease to the Great Western Railway Company of the Ely Valley Railway, under the powers of " The Great Western, llerefbrd Ross and Glouces ter, and Ely Valley Railways Act, 1862," and to authorise the subscription, by the Great Western Railway Company, of a sum not exceeding £35,000 to the undertaking of the Ely Valley Railway Company, and the raising the amount so authorised to be subscribed in the manner prescribed by the said last mentioned Act. The Fortifications of Portsmo u th. 4 It is a work of more than ordinary pretensions. Like the forts on Portsdown it may be generally described as of horseshoe shape, with five faces of 221 ft., 176 ft., 313 ft., 364 ft., and 400 ft. respectively. It will mount 50 guns 014 its terreplein, double Haxo casemates being at each angle. The terre plein is supported on massive brickwork arches, which give the necessary accommodation for the garrison, and the whole work will have an eleva tion of 36ft. over the surrounding country, its front being well covered with earthwork. The diteh en compassing the fort is 15ft. in depth, 119 ft. in width at the top, revetted in brickwork, and with 9ft. of water. Portsdown is thus the base of the great pOlygon of works designed and now being carried into execution for the defence of Ports mouth. South of Portsdown is the anchorage of Spithead, and the proposed sites of the marine forts which are to defend Spithead and Portsmouth from the sea. It has been said that es a people we have in the matters of harbours and breakixaters cast our money more liberally upon the waters than has been done by others, but it is doubtful if the same can be said of the precautions we have taken in protecting cur shores aginst the ambition of other nations. We are now, however, engaged in spending some millions in strengthening the defence of the kingdom at all its most vital points. As a natural sequence to such a course a reactionary cry was raised, the work on foundations for the marine forts at Spithead was suspended, and at the same time it was understood that the chain of forts on Portsdown would not be proceeded with beyond a certain point until the subject was brought formally before the House of Commons in the usual course by the Premier. The significant majority with which the vote on the Fortifications Bill was recently passed by the house sufficiently indicated the determination of the coun try generally to support Lord Palmerston in plac ing the defences of the kingdom on an efficient basis, and the result of this decision is that the Spithead forts will be proceeded with, and the chain of forts on Portsdown completed. Several plans for the forts at Spithead have been submitted, but none as yet have been officially selected and determined upon in all their details, nor is the precise form ire which the Portsdown forts are to be completed yet agreed upon. Both are subjects of vast importance and general interest, and, as they form the salient points of the outer cordon of defence constructing round our chief naval arsenal, we shall say a few words respecting them. To authorise the creation, conjointly with the London and North Western Railway Company, of Birkenhead Capital, not exceeding £474,178 its., for the purposes of the Birken head Railway, under the powers of " The Birkenhead Railway (Vesting) Act, 1E61." 'ro authorise the raising of £227,562 for the general pur poses of the Company, under the powers of "The Great Western Railway (Capital) Act, 1861," by the creation of Shares or Stock in the Capital, by such Act authorised, with a Preferential Dividend not exceeding £4 10s. per cent. per annum thereto, as well as to enable the Directors to issue the same, pari passu, with the sum of £1,000,000 Capital, which was created at a special general meeting, held on the 30th May, 186 i, under the powers of the same Act ; the whole of the said Stock or Shuts to be subject to such terms and co ditions as the Directors may prescribe, and to be offered to the Proprietors of the Company in the first instance, and afterwards the residue, if any, to be disposed of as the Board may determine. While Portsmouth is being thus engirdled with a vast net of fortifications, it is impossible not to acknowledge, on examining the general plan, that in the channel of approach from the sea stands the Achilles' heel of the whole plan. Only five hours' steaming from the greatest military port of another country, there is not at present existing one single obstacle to a hostile squadron steaming into Spit head whenever it may choose, and bombarding and destroying Portsmouth dockyard, its shipping, and its arsenals at pleasure. It is imbecility at its ex tremest point to speak of any effectual resistance which could be offered by the existing fortifications now supposed to defend Portsmouth and Spithead from such a disastrous result. They are old works which would fall :o the ground from the concussion of any guns fired from their parapets of sufficient calibre to inflict damage on an iron-clad fleet. To show the truth and importance of this statement, it is here necessary to observe that the mouth of Portsmouth Harbour, Southsea Castle, and Fort Moncton form a triangle of which Spithead is the base, with Portsmouth Harbour at the apex, and that the guns at these three points are the only pre sent obstacles to the entrance of an enemy's fleet from the sea. Southsea Castle is a very old stone built work, partially covered with earth on its flank, and is in such a dilapidated state that not a gun has been allowed to be fired from its walls for months past, not even for blank practice, The front face of Fort Moncton, which faces Spithead, and is sup posed to cross fire with Southsea Castle, is the weakest part of the work, and would certainly not bear the concussion from the fire of heavy ordnance. In these two points, therefore, at the base of the triangle, there are at present no existing means for the defence of Portsmouth from a sea at tack. The batteries at the mouth of the harbour are armed with 32 and 68 poun ders, and a few 110 pounder Armstrongs, but they are useless as opposed to iron-clad ships, nor will they carry guns of sufficient weight and calibre to prevent iron-clads forcing the entrance of the harbour. The knowledge of these facts justly gave the Government the strongest argument possible for the completion of their scheme for the marine forts which are intended to remedy this very weak point in the armour of Portsmouth. To c , nvert, from time to time, as and when it may cccur, all or any of the Preferential 'hares of the united Company which may have already been, or which shall hereafter be paid up, into Stock of the like denomination. • The special business will be taken immediately after the half-yearly business shall be concluded. RICHE). POTTER. Chairman. W. FENTON, Deputy-Chairman. Paddington Station, Sept. 2, 1863. The introduction of rifled ordnance utterly nullified the confined area of all then exis ting lines of defence surrounding fortified posi tions such as Portsmouth dockyard and arsenal, and the lines had, therefore, to be considerably extended, so as to increase the distance between the points of attack and defence. In the instance of Portsmouth the northern and southern extremi ties of its proposed lines of defence (the central fort on Portsdown-hill and the marine forts on the Noman and Horse Shoals) form parts of nearly a circular defensive line, cf about nine miles in diameter, between the points named. Portsdown may be considered as commanding all approaches to the port from landward (supposing that an enemy may have Effected a landing on any part of the ad jacent coast), and the Noman and Horse Forts, through the narrow channel by the Warner Light, from sPa ; supposing also, in the latter instance, that the Needles Channel is rendered impassable to any iron fleet. The position of Portsdown is nearly seven miles in extent, and runs nearly parallel with the line of coast, or the anchorage of Spithead, and its centre rises to a height of 460 feet above Ordnance level, anp is here at a distance of about 5,000 yards from Portsmouth dockyard, while the large powder magazines at Tipnor, and the shipping moored in the upper part of the harbour, lie at its very base. The vast importance of such a position and the im perative necessity for including it in the general plan for the port's defence are thus evident, and, although. the extent of the plan including Ports down somewhat staggered even Sir John Burgoyne yet that able officer, in his evidence before the De fence Commission, admitted freely that the defence of the port of Portsmouth would be imperfect with out it, and the fortification of Portsdown was there fore decided upon, and has been completed in its first stage. It is being crowned kith seven forts— Purbrook, Farlington, and Cookhorn, ut its eastern extremity, Wallingford at its western, and Widley, Southwick, and Nelson inter mediately along its crest. 'These forts are being constructed on an exceedingly simple plan, being somewhat of horseshoe fo!ni, with the toe of the shoe pointing inland, and the heel of the shoe to wards the sea of Portsmouth, but of strong trace and prodigious strength, the base line along the hill's crest. This finishing of the forms of the forts at the base line is the most important point for con sideration in connection with the completion of the works. A common-sense view of the question would argue for a simple military road connecting the forts along the hill's crest, and thus leaving the gorges open, the latter standing towards Portsmouth, and if they are only intended as a defensive adjunct to Portsmouth and its dockyard, this is doubtless the only sensible idea that can be entertained. It is, however, said that the Royal Engineers strongly advocate the construction of " iron-cased" keeps to close the gorge of each work. It can scarcely be believed, however, that such a proposition can be seriously entertained. If an enemy once got suffi ciently close to find that a fort on Portsdown was too hard a nut to crack by bombardment, he would simply, as the hill is of a chalk formation, cut a gal lery or tunnel in the chalk, and blow the whole affair, " iron keep" and all, into the air. So far as the works have proceeded at present, their general design, if left, as suggested, as open forts to the rear, connected by a military road, has been magni ficently conceived and executed. At the east end of the hill the works are the least forward of any, but here may be seen the unusually formidable na ture of the " trace." It is commanded by three works—Farlington, Crookhorn, and Purbrook. All three have yet proceeded in their construction but little beyond their formation of parapet and ditch and general outline. Their height reaches 300 ft. above Ordnance level. Farlington commands the eastern point of Portsdown, and will mount 18 of the heaviest guns on: its terre.plein, with mortar batteries on the angles of its surround ing ditches, each battery mounting three mortars. A sunken gallery communicates with Crookhorn, which will mount 16 guns on its terre-plein, with six guns in the angles of its ditch. A continuation of the same sunken gallery leads from Crookhorn to the main work at this eastern end of Portsdown, Purbrook—which will mount 21 guns on its terre plein, nine guns in caponnieres in the ditch, and three mortars in the ditch's west angle. It has a nearly straight face of 240 ft., looking inland, the open gorge being opposite the west side of Lang ston harbour and the eastern side of Portsmouth harbour. The ditches surrounding the three works vary in depth, according to their position, from 35ft to 50ft. Sunken galleries from the interior of the works communicate with the mortar batteries and caponnieres in the ditches. The walls of the ditches themselves are supported in their vertical formation by chalk and brick masonry, and these formidable outer obstructions are carried out generally in the entire line of works along the hill's crest. At Wal lingford, the fort which commands all approaches to Portsdown at its western end, the arrangements are somewhat different, owing to its position, but continue of the same comprehensive and formidable nature. It will mount 56 guns on its terre-plein, four of them being in casemates u la Haxo at the angles. Caponnieres project into the ditch, mount ing three guns each at each augle, and have mortar batteries in the rear. Sunken galleries communi cate between the enciente of the work, the capon nierts, the mortar batteries, and an advanced covered way on the right shoulder, which mounts three guns, sweeping the line of ditch. It stands at an elevation of 140 ft. above Ordnance level, has a right front of 520 ft., a left front of 326 ft., a right flank of 437 ft., and a left flank of 383 ft. Its gorge is as yet open like the rest of the Portsdown forts, and looks towards the seacoast. The Government plans for the defence of Spit head from a sea attack consist of the three marine forts of the Horse, Noman, and Sturbridge, all three to be constructed on shoals abutting upon the nar row deep water ways of Spithead. The two first named will lie south of Spithead, and be the first obstacles to the entrance of a hostile fleet from the Channel. The Sturbridge (built on the Sturbridge shoal, off Hyde, Isle of Wight) can only be of ser vice after a fleet has forced its way into Spithead, and therefore its use under any circumstances would be very problematical. From its position, even if it missed au enemy's ship, it must strike a friend, as its shots in either case would plump either into the town of Ride or Fort Moncton. It is situate at 4,500 yards distance from the Noman and Horse forts, and is about 6,800 yards from the dockyard. It stands, in fact, or rather is intended to stand, in the centre of the ground into which an enemy's fleet must never be allowed to enter, and by its fire would injure its friends more than its enemies. So well is the inutility of this proposed fort under atcod, that Capt. Tyler, of the Royal Engineers, has not hesitated to condemn it in letters to the public press, and proposed in lieu to erect a fort on the Warner Rock, outside the Noman and Horse forts. The three forts would then form a perfect triangle, with the " Warner" as the apex and in advance, and if constructed and armed as contemplated no iron ship shnuid ever swim past them. All parties appear now to agree in the expedienCy of constructing these marine forts, provided they are built to carry guns of sufficient power to smash in the sides of any iron`ship that may come between them. The Government plans have, how ever, been severely criticised from the date of the first report of the Royal Defence Commission, and various plans have been submitted, some on evidence before the Commission. and others from non-official sources, either to prevent an enemy from ever en tering Spithead at all, or for rendering it so hot after he had got there that he would be glad to quit it again. Sir John Dalrymple Hay, R.N., when examined before the Defence Commsssioners, proposed that a boom should be placed across the channel between the proposed Horse and Noman forts, and that 12 iron-cased vessels should be connected together by chains ana moored inside in support, and that 12 vessels, under steam, iron-cased, should be em ployed, in addition, to offer the first line of defence against the enemy. Capt. Tyler, R,E., in lately reviewing this proposition of Sir John Hay, advo cates the additional defensive force of six steam rams, worked by double or " twin" screws, inside the forts, and considers that under such circum stances of defence, with a fort on the Warner Rock, it would be impossible for any hostile ironclad fleet to enter Spithead by its southern channel. A plan has been proposed by Mr. W. Austin, C.E., for closing the passage between .the Horse and Noman forts by means of floating batteries of pecu liar construction and light draught of water, con nected by chain cables with the forts, that appears to possess a great originality of idea, with simplicity and economy. So far these plans relate only to the closing of the waterway between the Noman and Warner shoals, through which an enemy's fleet can only reach Spithead from the Channel by the southern passage. Another plan has been submitted to the authori ties by Mr. Pineo, C.E., of Portsmouth, a gentle man, by his position and knowledge of the waters of Spithead, well qualified to give an opinion, which, from its economical estimated cost, its com prehensiveness, and the manner in which it enters into the extension and defences of the port, deserves special attention. Portsmouth harbour is separated from the outer deep waters by a series of shoals, generally known 03 the Shithead shoals, which ex tend in a triangular form from the narrow mouth of the harbour to opposite Southsea Castle, and thence to Moncton Fort opposite Ryde. From the harbour's entrance to Southsea Castle is the" har bour chann e l," a b out t h ree quar t e rs of a mile in length, a narrow, tortuous entrance, and parallel with it extends the Spithead.sholls, which run, or rather trend back, to Fort Moncton, standing on the opposite peninsula of land and nearly opposite to Ryde. The triangular piece of land which thus forms the shoals which separate the harbour channel of Portsmouth from the deeper water of Spithead anchorage, Mr. Pineo proposes to enclose with two tiers of whole baulk cofferdam piles, with tica and braces, &c., filled with excavations from the shoals, which (the shoals) would then be of suffi cient depth in the area enclosed within this piling for two basins—one at the base of the triangular formation, to be an inner floating basin of about 200 acres ; and the outer one, at the apex of the triangle, to be a tidal basin of about 120 acres, with openings to allow of the flow of the tide into the Although not strictly speaking belonging to the line of Portadown forts, still it must be considered " Portsdown" fort, as erected on7the low land at about a mile distant from Fort Wallington, and nearer the line of seacoast stands Fort Fareham, the villag e of Fareham, which stands at the upper most head of Portsmouth harbour, being situated between the two forts. Any attack upon the posi tion of Portsdown from the westward must include Fort Fareham, which must therefore be considered i conjointly with the seven hill forts already noticed, STAMPED ....sd. harbour channel. The cost of the construction is estimated at £450,000 only, and this also includes the construction of wharfs over the piling 200 ft. wide, with hues of ra il way on the inner and outer faces, a coaling depot for ships of war on each side of the apex of the work, each cap a bl e of hold i ng 50,000 tons, with a lighthouse over each. In addition to the immense tidal and floating basins which would thus be added to the resources of Ports mouth as a naval arsenal, the adoption of this plan would have the effect of throwing the inmost circle of Portsmouth defences from their present position at the harbour's mouth to the extreme edge of the outer shoals, the 200 feet outer quay room, or as we have termed it, wharf room, affording magnificent space for the erection of any number of guns of the largest calibre. This measure would effectually ren der impossible the holding of Spithead anchorage by an enemy even supposing such enemy had forced successfully the channels of entrance, and for this cause alone, leaving out of the question its other advantages, will doubtless receive the serious atten tion it deserves at the hands of the authorities. Whether the fort be eventually erected on the Sturbridge or on the Warner it is evident from what has been here stated that the shore batteries on the sea faces of Portsmouth required altering altogether both in design and in their powers of offence; and this is now being done at the two extreme points of the base line of the triangle referred to—Southsea Castle and Fort Monckton. Southsea Castle had a short time since erected on either flank two earthen auxiliary batteries, at a cost of £15,000. These are now, of course, useless against iron ships, and new works have been commenced of a very different cha racter. They consist of a long arm connected with the Castle, extended out on either flank, the Castle being made the centre of the work, but it will be altered altogether in its character. These flank works will be curvilinear in all their outlines, and will be fitted with platforms to sustain 22-ton or even heavier guns. They will be iron -faced, and each embrasure will be of iron on tbeThorncroft plan, and shielded. On the right flank of Fort Moncton is being con structed a very extensive mortar battery, which will be also corvilinear in all its outlines: and a similar battery is now completing on a low bluff adjoining the seabeach at Puckpool, a short dis tance east of Ryde. What is required now to arm these two last-named butteries with is an improved mortar for throwing monster shells, for the vulner able part of an iron ship is her upper deck, and all we are as yet endeavouring to do is to smash in her armour-plated sides. Thus tar we have endeavoured to describe what is being actually done, and what bas been proposed for the defence of Spithead from attack by the south-east channel. There is, however, a side entrance for iron-clads to reach Spithead existing in the Needles channel, and here measures are being taken to close, if possible, the passage against them, and Hurst Castle is the point selected. The earthern auxiliary batteries which flanked the Castle in a similar manner to the old flanking sup ports of Southsea have been removed, and precisely similar iron-faced and embrasured works to those Southsea is receiving are being stretched along the beach from either flank of the Castle, with this addition, that in the case of Hurst, the guns will all be mounted in bomb proof casemates, and it will be, therefore, of a stronger and more extensive character than Southsea. It is certainly to be hoped that the new work at Hurst may be found sufficient to close the passage between the main and the Needles against an enemy. Thousands upon thousands sterling have been lavished during recent years upon the Needles passage, and yet the latest, or one of the latest, works of the Royal Engineers—Fort "Victoria—stands a monument of their folly, a shell-trap at the base of a cliff, a thing that has been spoken of with derision by even naval and military officers, and in the presence, too, of the Defence Commission. Mr. Craft's Visit to the King of Dahomey. The only section of the British Association which possessed any very 'special interest yesterday was that which has been through out the most popular—the section devoted to the discussion• of geographical and enthological ques tions. Yesterday it was unusually crowded to hear Mr. Craft give an account of his recent visit to the King of Dahomey. Mr. Craft commenced by re peating what he stated in the section the other day,— " That both his grand-parents wero Africans of pure descent, that they were kidnapped and sent to America, that he was born there and had lived there as a slave, Ile was now fortunately out of America. He had been in Eng land some 12 or 14 years, and confessed—though he did not wish to insult any American lady or gentleman who might I be present—that he did not like America, and, of course all negroes had reason for sharing that feeling of repug- I mince. He now considered himself an Englishman of African parentage, unfortunately born in America. The subject for consideration was Dahomey. There was a great deal of difference with regard to the people of that country. Some extraordinary accounts had been printed of what took place there, and those accounts had induced him to go there and to ascertain whether those accounts were true or false, and whether anything could be done to change the bad habits of the people in that part of the world. His friends were much opposed to his going, and said that the King of Dahomey would be sure to cut his head off as soon as ho laid hands on him. He felt, however, that it was his duty to go, and at length a committee was formed for the purpose of buying presents and making his mission as sue cesaful as possible. At that period the Government had given up Dahomey as a bad job, and felt they could do nothing in the matter; and Mr. Layard, the Under-Sec retary of State for Foreign Affairs, after informing him of the opinion hold by the Government, and saying that he should bo glad to see him on his return, told him ho candidly thought he never would get back again alive. He gave him, however, a letter of introduction to the Go vernor of Logos, requesting the Governor to give him every assistance and protection in his power. He sailed from Liverpool to Lagos about nine months ago, and went to Dahomey through the lagoons in canoes. They day after they reached the town where the King was staying, mes sengers came saying that his Majesty was ready to receive his visitors. Here he might observe that, in thus giving a truthful account of what he saw and heard, he must not be understood as apologising in any way for the barbarous cus • toms of the place. He wished simply to state the truth. The King also sent a rosewood liquor case, furnished with cut•glass bottles, containing different kinds of spirits. This was for the purpose of enabling the great men to drink to the health of Mr. Craft in the name of the King. He then got into a hammock, and proceeded to the palace. On his way he saw in the market-place 12 platforms, 40 feet high, 150 ft. apart, and perhaps 101 t. or 12ft. square. On each side of the platform was a man in an upright position, and quite dead. These persons had all been executed the night before. They were clad in accordance with the fashions of the country, and in their hands or otherwise attached to their persons were calabashes filled with native produce, and a cord, to which were fastened two or three sheep. The meaning of all this was that one Dahomey tribe held an anniversary in honour of their victory over a neighbouring tribe. When he came to the other side of the palace, ho found thousands of natives assembled. As they passed through the crowd of natives saluted them, and when they came into the palace yard they found thousands of the principal people of the country. The chiefs stood on the right hand of tbo King, while on his left there were 2,000 or 3,000 Atnaz,ms, attired in their gayest costume. The King himself oat under a large tee t, and was surrounded by his wives and a iew officers of the Amazon regiment. When they approached the King they bowed to him, and he returned the salutations. He was was seated on a raised platform about 10ft. square, covered with handsome cloth. He immediately rose and shook Mr. Craft and his companions heartily by the hand, saying that he was glad to see him, and thanking him for taking the trouble to pay him a visit. He also inquired very kindly after his health, and after the health of her Majesty the Queen and of the members of the British Government, to all which Mr. Craft replied that he believed they were very well. He then inquired whether the Queen had sent him to Dahomey, to which Mr. Craft answered No,' but that he came at the request of a number of English friends of the King's, who desired to promote civilisation in Africa, and to encourage a legitimate trade between the people of Eng land and Dahomey. He also told him that, though they did not came direct:y from the British Government, he knew they had the good wishes of the G ,vernment, who would be very glad if something could be done in the way he had proposed. The King seemed at once to understand the matter, and said it was all right; and he proposed succes sively the healths of the gentlemen who had sent Mr. Craft, of Mr. Craft himself, and of her Majesty the Queen. It was customary at the palace to taste a little of every thing that was offered in the way of drink, but visitors LITERATURE. COLBURN'S NEW MONTHLY.--" The Shadow of Ashlydyat "is continued. It now records the ap proaching death of Maria. That long-suffering lady is fast drawing near to the goal where the weary may find rest, and there is nothing to regret in her death. It is melancholy top ruse the passages where Maria is taking leave of Meta, her cherished child. When trying to make her believe the sad reality approaching, she said she would look down upon her from heaven. " Meta turned her eyes to the uncurtained window, looking up to the winter evening sky—" Has heaven got windows ?" she asked. " I think it has; I think that God allows us to look down on the dear ones we have left ; at least it is pleasant to think so when we are about to leave them, Meta, darling; it can do you no harm to think so," It would hardly be possible to convey a more truthful picture of the sorrows and sufferings of life than is done in this story. We are shown how the sins of others are visited upon the un • offending and guiltless, and how, as in the case of Thomas Godolphin and Maria, the burden is often too heavy to bear. But their portion is not all dark ; and when they reach the end of their painful course, the death of the sor row-laden is better than the life of the sinner, who, in care less ease, is shifting the burden to other shoulders, and de termines to enjoy himself, setting care and memory at defiance. " John, Lord Carteret," figures as Sir Nathaniel's worthy of this month. The sketch of his career will at tract notice. The Life and Letters of "Washington Irving form the subject of an interesting article, It is very en tertaining to follow the anecdotes collected of this remark able man ; and the writer seems thoroughly to have appre ciated his subject. " Strathmore" is continued, and is as exciting as ever in its foreign style. "Twice Sacrificed" is the first part of a melancholy tale, from the Danish. It is well written, and ably exemplifies the imprudence and misery that result from the disgraceful practice of marriage de convenance, which obtains so much abroad. " Hotao Hominum Deum," is the title of some very impressive verses that record a touching picture of the misery inflicted by the heartless votaries of fashion, and the ruthless rulers of business upon the helpless beings who are doomed to stitch, stitch, stitch, till life becomes a burden, and death is gladly hailed as a rescue from toil, and a release from cruel slavery, The last sad scene is truthfully and touchingly described. BENTLEY'S MISCELLANY.—The lively and en tertaining story of " Six Weeks at Hunedon Manor" is continued at some length, though it chronicles no more important incident than a pic nic. "At the Tower Window with Sir Walter Raleigh" is the title of an essay suggested by the well-known anecdote of Sir Walter's burning a volume of his History of the World in disgust at the contradictory versions given him of an affair which he had seen with his own eyes. The difficulties in the way of the impartial his torian have forced themselves on the minds of many emi nent men, whose opinions are here cited. In concluding his reflections the writer pertinently remarks that every modern writer who tells the story of Sir Walter and his irreconcileable witnesses gives a different version from his fellows We meet with a lengthened history of Count Wala, the first prisoner of Chillon, which is taken from the French, and may serve to interest the reader, although it is far too long and diffuse, A sketch of the career of Sir John Hawkwood, one of the most eminent of the Free Lances of the middle ages, pays a high tribute to his abilities as a commander, " After the Battle" is founded on the narrative of a French gentleman, who, happening to pass through Upper Italy at the time of the late Italian war, became a spectator of the supplementary horrors of Solferino. He was an actor also in the har rowing scenes he records, since he devoted himself to the succour of the unfortunate victims of the war, together with a few other voluntary assistants, some of whom were obliged to abandon their charitable offices, overwhelmed with distress. Truly such scenes as he describes strip the gaudy colours from the triumphs of the battlefield, and might serve to disenchant the most enthusiastic. The ex travagant production of M. About, entitled " The Notary's Nose" (of which a resume was some time back given in the columns of The Sun) is summarized for the benefit of the English reader. It might almost read for a caricature of " sensation" novels, as " Firmilian" was a satire on the modern school of poetry. The editor's animated story of "Cardinal Pole" proceeds with interest. In the present in stalment Derrick Carver meets the fate which has so long been hanging over his devoted head, THE ECLECTIC REVIEW. —.An essay on one of the celebrities of the era of the Reformation— Ulrich von Hutten—opens this number. It is fol lowed by an ethnological paper on the " Races of Europe," containing some curious and instructive details of the pe culiarities of our European families. " A Triad of Muses" gives a fair and favourable criticism on some new competi tors for poetical fame. The eccentric Swedish Queen, Christina, is the subject of an article founded on a re cently published life. Other papers on theological subjects complete a number of average interest and merit. GOOD WORDS.—The pencil of Mr. Millais this month very beautifully illustrates the Parable of the Woman, broom and lamp in hand, search ing about the floor of her house for the lost piece of silver. There is a pretty but rather fantastic drawing, moreover, in this same number by another illustrator, delineative of " Childhood." The letterpress is, for the most part, as usual, very excellent. Not the least worthy of perusal upona ry, by i n the r re ference the contents being a brief letter to the Editor of f G er o s o n d ee lP t o a r d t h s, a penned by Dean red A attacklford last ill-natured self-appointed critic on the Dean's "Plea for the Queen's English." With this naof Canterbury, himself terbu gentlemanly but caustic note the number for September is brought to a conclusion. MISCELLANEOUS MAGAZINES.--The Sixpenny Magazine has its usual liberal allowance of stories and sketches, one of the most ingenious being the tale of a madman, who, being taken by a friend to a lunatic asylum, suspected the truth, and contriv ing to abstract the papers of admission, certificate, &c., in troduced his companion as the maniac, and himself as the sane guardian. The Follet gives its fair readers an extra plate of fashions, and some very good advice in a slightly being ne Horseman,Ti d n h g , a, es Story h op, n t l o tenh: f t improbable story, entitled "The Wedding Bonnet." The f Doye Own Magazine is full of attractions, the very titles ahAsßocslitanocafkrrteiec.r:a,tnthi Prince's eteu y ,sl o .ssh u , n p g ag, r ‘e e b a , dpe plentifullyir, and offers astounding riddles, puzzles, and perplexities of nil sorts to the solution of the skilful. Newton's London n.T thehl lleuV illustrated, r o la h p u t a se n v i , Journal presents its usual supply of recent information on all matters connected with patents and the patent law. Cassell's Popular . _Educator and Illustrated History of England are proceeded with . The former cont ainsmost various instruction, while the latter has come down to the present reign. Beeton's _Dictionary of Art, 6'clence and Literature is a closely printed and comprehensive repertory of information. The Boys' Own Library and The B • oys Penny Magazine are good samples of their class. M ON UMENTS TO LORD BYRON'S DAUGHTER ADA, AND HIS GRANDSON, VISCOUNT OCRIIAM Two handsome monuments have just been finished erecting to the memory of the above noble personages, the f ormer beinc , placed in Newstead Abbey, and the latter in th e parish church of Ripley, Surr€y. They are both Gothic monuments, of white Carrara marble, are most elaborately carved, and are ornamented by the arms of the family, the whole having been executed by Mr. T. Gaffin, the sculptor, of the Quadrant, Regent-street. The following are the in scriptions :—'- In the Byrons vault below lie the remains of Augusta Ada, only daughter of George Gordon Noel, sixth Lord Dyrcin, the wife of William Earl of Lovelace. Born 20th Doe., 1815, died 27th Nov., 185 2 . R.1.P." " In memory of By ron Ncel Viscount Ockham and Baron Went worth, eldest son of William Earl Lovelace. Born 12th May, 1836, died Sept. 1, 1862," It will be remembered that Viscount Ockham, before his death, had been working asa 8 4 1 41 iu une of the dockyards. ~ 2 were not expected to take more than they liked ; and when a visitor had drunk out of a vessel he could hand it to one of a number of attendants who were always near, and who were glad to finish off the contents. While all this toasting was going on, 31 guns were fired in honour of the visit ; and when Mr. Craft returned to Whydah he had 31 guns fired by way of returning the compliment. After this entertainment the party were conducted to the other side of the palace, where the Amazons were dancing. There were 200 or 300 young women thus engaged, and they danced very prettily, making very graceful figures. Although the dancing was kept up all day, and the youug women must have been very tired at night, somehow they seemed quite as fresh as they were when they began in the morning. There was also a grand review of the Amazonian regiment, which marched about in various directions, and went through all its evolutions. The whole of the King's property was then brought forward and exhibited to the visitors, thousands of men and women being employed in carrying the articles backwards and forwards. There were among these gold and silver or naments, and specimens of almost every kind of European manufacture. By this time Captain Burton arrived at Da homey, and a grand review of the troops took place in honour of them all. It was quite true that human sacrifices took place, though not to the enormous extent that had been painted. The King of Dahomey was quite black enough, but not quite so black as he had been painted. The sacrifices took place from th ree di fferent causes. They were partly religious, partly demonstrative of power, and partly festive. Women and children were never sacrificed. When a num ber of women and children were captured, they were either sold or given t o t h e soldiers and others as ' wives. The chil dren were undisturbed ; th e strong men were sold as well as the women, if anybody would buy them; but the old men and women and those that could not be turned to pecuniary account were offered up in sacrifice. When he was at Da homey he saw a large number of children of different tribes. The tribes were distinguish e d f rom each other by the tattOo , marks, and almost every child he saw had a natural mark, The people of Dahomey thought it rather against their dignity to tattoo themselves much,and had only tattoo marks on the temple, but other tribes were tattoed very much, and in avariety of patterns. Thereason why they sold the young men was that they considered it dangerous to have such a strong antagonistic element in their midst. The King gave him four boys for his friends and one for himself. The ages of the boys varied from 9 to 12. They were captured by th e King in an expedition against a neighbouring tribe, and at the same time he took a native missionary who had been trained under the Church Missionary Society, and sent home to teach his heathen brothers. The King of Dahomey, judg ing that this man was a native, and believing that he had assumed the European garb for the purpose of deceiv.. ing him, thought it necessary to treat him with greater severity than his other captives, and accordingly had him crucified. But many of the chiefs expressed their regret to Mr. Craft that this had occurred, and ex cused themselves by saying they did not know that the poor man was under the protection of the English, The boys whom the King presented to him he had given to his friends, though, of course, they would not regard them as slaves, but would educate them and bring them up as British subjects. In reference to the sacrifices, M. Jules Gerard made a mistake when he said that the King danced in pools of human blood and fragments of human flesh. He was there on the occasion to which M. Gerard referred, and could positively declare that nothing so unseemly took place. lie was very sorry to differ from M. Gerard, but a regard for the truth compelled him to make those statements. He regretted that Capt. Burton was not present to corroborate his statements; but he had seen a letter from that . gentle man in the Anglo-African newspaper—a periodical pub lished weekly or monthly at Lagos by a coloured gentleman —and in that letter the captain made no allusion whatever to the horrible things which M. Gerard said he saw. There was also a letter in the Times of Tuesday from a gentleman waiting from Catherine-street, Strand, who stated that he had received a:letter by the last mail from Capt. Burton, but that in that letter there was nothing at all about the extra ordinary cruelties to which M. Gerard referred. Commo dore Wilmot had also given an account of Dahomey which differed very much from that of M. Gerard; and he was able to testify to the truthfulness of the commodore's state ments. There were only one or two other points to which it was necessary for him to refer. With respect to the agricultural capabilities of the country, he regarded it as a cotton-growing region. Nothing could be said in defence of human sacrifices , but th ere was no harm in stating that the pecuniary element entered into the question to a very large extent, and that if the natives could be brought to believe that it was their interest to cultivate cotton and sell it to Europeans they would abandon the slave trade. A great deal had been said by Commodore Maury about Africa not being a cotton-growing country. Now, Com modore Maury was a very high authority on winds and tides, and so long as he kept to his own element he would not interfere with him; but when ho landed at Natal, and began to talk about cotton, he was very liable to find his statements criticised. A lady who was in the room had shown Mr. Craft some cotton which had been grown at Natal, and very good cotton it was; the lady was Mrs. Richardson. Commodore Maury seemed to be of opinion that cotton world not grow well unless it was nipped by frost every year, Now, Natal was in about the same latitude as Egypt, and as Egypt could grow very good cotton with out frost, why, he asked, might not Natal, if care were taken to cultivate it ? 'With regard to West Africa and Thahorney, he could testify that cotton was grown there in abundance. Abbeokuta joined Dahomey, and a very con siderable cotton trade had sprung up there during the last few years. At the present time there was a blockade there owing to some difference between the British Government and the Abbeokutans, and consequently the cotton was not exported; but he knew for a fact that merchants were buy ing it up in considerable quantities, and storing it up with a view of sending it out of the country as soon as the blockade was over. He believed that the slave 6 trade was carried on by the people of Dahomey for the purpose of gain. Slave dealers went to the chiefs of different tribes and induced them to go to war with one another, and remained behind the scenes for the purpose of buying up the slaves that were captured in the war. In this way heathen captives were found to supply the market created by these Christian dealers in human flesh. Now, he thought that if the King of Da homey and his chiefs could be interested in the cultivation of cotton, and could be brought to feel that it was more pro fitable than the traffic in slaves, they would give the latter up altogether. 'Accordingly, he had told the king that the demand for slaves would not exist for ever; that slavery was becoming very unpopular; that the Americans were at war, and that it might happen that before the war was closed slavery would be abolished, in which case there would be a very limited demand for slaves. (Hear, hear.) He might state that the Americans had prohibited the slave trade, but in spite of that a large number of slaves had been taken to Cuba, smuggled across the Gulf of Mexico into Florida, and carried thence into the interior of the Southern States. He told the King he believed it would pay him to attend to the cultivation of cotton, and not only to its cultivation, but to its manufacture. The King seemed interested in his statements, and replied that if he could point him to a good market he would be very glad to grow cotton on a large scale. The King also offered him a large place for carrying on his business—a large square at Wydah, surrounded by a mud wall about 20fc. high, and containing several storehouses. He also offered to facilitate his movements in any way, and gave him, moreover, about 300 samples of cloth of European manufacture, and said that the people of Dahomey would readily purchase of that kind if they were imported from Europe." Mr. Ciaft then exhibited several articles of native manufacture which he had brought from Dahomey ; among these were two cushions made of native leather, and having a sort of embossed surface of a gay pattern. These formed the principal furniture of a Dahomey dwelling. There were also several specimens of native manufactured cloth, which was made of narrow strips dyed in gay colours principally yellow and red. Another article was an amazonian sword, made apparently of very good steel, pro duced in the country. Mr. Craft also exhibited a cartridge-box, ornamented with cowries, or native coin, and pouches or bags of different kinds, all more or less ornamented. There was also the backbone of a boa constrictor, which, it was said. was a very useful thing tc keep off evil spirits, and also to cure people of the back-ache. Other articles were exhibited, such as beads of bone, and bamboo baskets, made with great ingenuity to fit into one another. Mr. Craft concluded by saying the, he did not think that the King of Dahomey or his people would grow cotton from any high Christian motive, at least in the first instance, but that he was convinced that if they saw that they could do it profitably they would cultivate it upon a very large scale. Mr. Craft was very warmly cheered in concluding his address, which, however, scarcely excited the discussion in the section it is likely to do elsewhere. Dover and Calais are now within hours of each other. The "James Penn " crosses the Channel in that time. This rapidity is due to improvements in the marine engne. Grey hair is restored to its natural colour, and tic doloreux and nervous headache cured by Herring's magnetic brushes. Their undeviating success is due to late imi,rovements by the inventor. I\.l;.—Counterfeits are being made. Offices, 32, Basiughall-street, London. THE NEW GOVERNMENT OFFICES.—The con tract for the new India and Foreign offices to be erected by Mr. Scott, the architect, has been let to Messrs. Smith and Taylor, whose tender, £195,573, being the lowest, was accepted. The other tenders, making 11 in all were Messrs. Little, £2o9,6ls—Messrs. Higgs, £206,669 — Messrs. Rigby, £2o6,lo9—Messrs. Piper and Wheeler, £200,335 —Messrs. Myers and Son, £198,560 —Messrs. Holland and Hannen, £ l9 7,4B7—Messrs. Cubitt, £196,750 —Messrs. Kirk, £ l96 ,soo—Messrs. Lucas, 4196,270—and Messrs. Baker, £195,800. The foundations for the entire building in 14 feet of concrete are all finished, and that por tion of the structure intended to be appropriated for the use of the India-office has just been commenced. s ~ / .-r_ e ";;~~~~- Ell MR. HOSKINS' NEW WORK ON EGYPT. Just ready, in 1 vol., with Illustrations, 1.55., A WINTER IN UPPER AND LOWER EGYPT. By G. A. HOSKINS, Esq., F.R.G.S., Author of " Travels in Ethiopia," " Spain As it Is," &o. Hurst and Blackett, 13, Great Marlboro-ugh-street.