The Sun. — London, England, 1863-12-24 00:00:00

The Prize Courts of the United States. Violation of the Neutral Rights. (Translated from the Memorial Diplomatique of Dec. 20.) The proceedings now pending before the prize courts of the United States of America, and the sena tences which are being pronounced by them, in op. position to some of the best established doctrines of international law, affect the interests of all the mari time nations of the world, and are of a character to awaken the solicitude of the French Government. Although the shipping of England alone is at pre sent exposed to the inadmissible pretensions of the North Americans, the judgments which we are about to examine, and the grounds upon which they are based, constitute nothing less than a flagrant violation of neutral rights—rights which for cen turies it has b een the special glory of France to maintain and defend. The rights and the duties of belligerent and neu tral nations in time of war are founded on certain essential princip!es of natural justice, modified by experience and determined by precedent. These rights and duties mainly consist in strict abstention on the part of the neutrals from any participation in acts of warfare, while on the part of the belligerents they impose the obligation not to subject the neu trals to the direct consequences of a state of warfare. If the neutral violate his duties he, by his act, be comes the ally of one belligerent and the enemy of the other belligerent, and consequently may be treated as such by the latter. If the belligerent vio late his duties, inasmuch as he thereby deprives the neutral of the benefit of his neutrality, and subjects him to the inconveniences of war, such belligerent justly exposes himself to the risk of the injured neutral openly taking part with the enemy. As the code which regulates the duties of neutrals and belligerents is not precisely a written code, but a code which, while based on natural justice, is modi fied by treaties and judicial decisions—in a word, by precedents—it is of immense importance for neutral powers that no unjust precedent, which might now or hereafter be quoted as an authority, be admitted into the law of nations. It is on these grounds that we propose to examine the legal and moral weight of certain judgments re cently pronounced by the American courts, in cases of the seizure of neutral ve ssels by the cruisers of the United States. According to the official documents now before us. it appears that the New ork District Prize Court, presided over byJudgeßetts, summarily, a n d at the single sitting of the Ist of August last, con demned seven English merchant vessels and their cargoes as prizes of war. We have thoroughly and attentively examined all the documents and evidence in t he cases of two o f t h ese vessels, namely, the Springbok and the Stephen Hart, and we have satisfied ourselves that never did any tribunal pronounce judgments more repugnant to justice than are these two condemnations. The Springbok, an English sailing vessel, was chartered by an English merchant for a voyage from London to Nassau, New Providence, an English colony. Loaded with merchandise which belonged exclusively to Englishmen, and having all her papers in perfect order, she left London on Dec. 9, 1862, and proceeded direst for Nassau. Being a slow sailer, she took two months to cross the Atlantic. Oa Feb. 3, 1863, she was in lat. 25 35 N., and long. 73 40 W. of Greenwich, and consequently about 60 leagues distant from Nassau. There she was ever hauled and searched by the United States ship of war Sonoma, who seized her es priza of war, and carried her for adjudication to New York, on the pretext that " she was loaded with contraband of war for the use of the Southern rebels." In the official act of seizure (proces verbal); it is expressly stated that when the Sonoma fell in with the Springbok, the latter vessel was steering straight for Hirbour Island, the most direct course she could follow to reach her destination, Nassau. We can understand this act of violence on the part of the commander of the Sonoma, bound pro bably to execute the peremptory orders of his Go vernment, but how shall we explain, and how ought we to qualify, the judgment of the priza court of New York which pronounced both vessel and cargo prize of war? On what legal grounds did Judge Betts base that double condemnation ? Oa the fol lowing proposition of law, amongst others, which he propounded as an incontestable principle in inter national maritime law That a neutral vessel, sailing between neutral ports, is not less subject to capture and condemnation it she be laden with a cargo not to be sold or disposed of in the neutral port to which she is destined, but to be thence tran shipped to the enemy's country." We venture to say that the preceding proposition, which we give textually, is in flagrant contradic tion with those which have been laid down by the most eminent jurists. It is very easy to prove this. If there be any one principle in international maritime law upon which all the authorities, from Lord Stowell and Judge Story down to " His tericus " in England, and to M. de Hautefenille iu France, are unanimous it is, that there is no such thing as contraband trade between neutral ports or with a neutral port. _ ~ Goods belonging to a neutral (no matter of what 't , ie goods consist, and even were they munitions of 'war), loaded on a neutral vessel, sailing for a neut ral port, cannot be regarded as contraband of War , provided the goods are bona fide the pro perty'lt % neutral and the real destination of the vessel b e a neutral port. The nationality and the destination legality of the the vessel alone determine the and in the case in point the prize cen : t "Y e g e ; had no right whatever to take into consider mio either the nature of the cargo or its ulterior atil I l lation. Any suspicion or even positive evidence these goods, after arrival an d disembarkation atEtt the neutral port, were in tended to be aftervi ttra forwarded f thence to the enem y, was altogether foreign to the case and These a re the terms in wi j. !li M. de Hautefenille expresses himself on thi s Nu t t : "To subject a neutral vessel t o capture for the act of carrying contraband of Wartlie.s necessary, concurrence of two conditions is indispensable. It first, that there be a ctually contrabandl articles on board, and in larger q uantities than _ are required for the use of the vessel and her crew ; d' ueondly that the vessel be bound for a port of the hew • rent power at war with th at of the cruiser Which makes the search. This latter condition is l udic. pensable to constitute a violation of the oblig at i ons of neutrality, an infringement on the rights of the belligerent.—(De Iliutefeuille, ` Des Droits et d e* Devoirs des Nations Neutres.' Tom e lit., p. 222 .) The equity of this doctrine is not only self evi. dent, but is made still more so by the absurdity of that which Judge Betts opposes to it. If it were admitted, in fact, that the ulterior destination of certain articles of merchandise, on their Way from one neutral port to another, justifi es their confiscation by one of the belligerents, the Northern Americans would, for example, be en titled to overhaul and search French vessels on their voyage between Bordeaux and Havre, as well as Eoglish vessels bound from London to Liver pool, to ascertain whether they had not amongst their cargoes any contraband articles, and, in case they had to capture them. They would have, r.,_moreover,u an equal right to confiicate all the -zioropo,__ running lin es , on the steamers on the Transatlantic New Yorkt pretext that these steamers carry to o Boston war d est i ned nite t to F -,avannah , contraband of Th e case of riorly for the Confederates. essentially the Stephen Hart does not differ from that of th we have an English s • • e Springbok. Here again entirely EtighA ear o utin g vessel laden with an ii s h port, bound forg the neutral sailed from an Eng- Gir d, n ,s, in the island of _ Spanish port of t.,%olien Hart was seized on the Nevertheless, the i o C u ban wat:,rs, by au Araeri e a 29th of Jan. 1862, cc .. ti i to N o w York, end " nderun s e hif) of war, coni c:: TO 11G pl iZ 012 war. The g zoaci ~' along with her surpasses in i . (:. of judgment in this C..1h0 even blirp l'raVbgiii ' ICU that of the Springbok. We give it textually " T o subject a cargo to the penalty of eoe tion as contraban d , it is an erroneous assumptionnna or that its destination trot be directly ; i m mediately to the enemy's country car enemy's poet. " It is quite sufficient if its ultimate de s ti nation be established for the use of the army or navy of trig cricmy. It such be the ulterior destination, the penalty of condemnation is incurred, although it be designed to use an intermediate or neutral port as one of transhipment of the cargo." These two decisions of Judge Betts involve un fortunately not one but several violations of the law of nations. Let us assume for a moment, that the fact of its being ulteriorly destined for one of the belligerents renders the neutral cargo of a neutral vessel, sailing between neutral ports, liable to seizure by the other belligerent ; it still remains to be proved that this cargo is composed of contra band articles ; for were it not so it could not be seized, except in the case alone of the vessel carry ing it attempting to enter one of the enemy's legally blockaded ports. Bat neither the Springbok nor the Stephen Hart has been accused of running the blockade, both having been condemned for having had on board contraband of war. According to the libel of the American authorities the cargo of the Springbok was composed almost entirely of dry goods. There were, however, one dozen rifle bayonets and one dozen swords, a few hundredweight of nitrate of potash, besides some bales of coarse brown cloth, said by the United States authorities to be suitable for the use of the rebel troops ; and lastly a case of buttons, on which o lel been were stamped neither arms no r an y national de vice , but which the Federal aut horities further dec lared to be adapted to the uniforms of the rebel s . has s. Sy on account of these paltry articles the Springbok, a fine barque, with a ll her valuable cargo, seized and condemned by the tribute! of New York. Let us see if the above-mentioned articles can be legally considered as within the category of contra band of war ; and let us again turn to M. de Haut feuille, the most recent authority, and of all French writers the one who possesses the greatest weight in such matters. He sir s , J " This restriction (that which war imposes on the liberty of neutral com merce) affects those articles only destined immedi ately to become, in the hands of the possessors, a direct means of attack or of defence —articles suited solely for warlike purposes, without requiring to undergo any i n d ustr i al preparat i on or transforma tion to render them so." "It may then be affirmed that contraband of war s limited expressly to arms, instruments, and muni- tions of war, fashioned and fabricated exclusively to serve in war ; and that all other articles without excepting even those substances suited for the manu facture of such prohibited articles, the instruments even which without having a direct use in hostilities, can, however, be indirectly em ployed in them, continue the objects of free commerce on the part of neutrals, either with both the belligerents or with one of them."—(Hautefeuille, " Droits et Devoirs des Na tions Neutres," tome ii., p. 83.) Contraband of war comprises, then, only instru ments of war, and so true is this that the United States themselves have expressly recognised it in several treaties. That concluded with France, and signed Feb. 6, 1778, runs thus— " Under the name of contraband, or prohibited articles of merchandise, are comprised arms, cannon, bombs with their fuzes, and other articles thereto pertaining, balls, gunpowder, slow matches, pikes, swords, lances, darts, halberds, mortars, petards, grenades, muskets, bullets, shields, helmets, breast plates, coats of mail, and other implements of this kind suitable for arming soldiers, gun slings, belts, and all other warlike accoutrements whatever." M. de Hautefeuille makes the following remarks on the subject— " Almost all the treaties recently concluded by France, and especially by the United States of Ame rica with the new American States, contain the same enumeration, with the addition of a clause which appears to me to embody exactly the doctrine which I have just laid down—viz., And generally every kind of arms and instruments of iron, steel, bronze, brass, ur any other material whatever, manufactured, prepared, and fabricated expressly for making war by sea or by land."—(lbid, t. p, 158.) On this point we might cite the 13th article of the treaty between the United States and Peru of Nov. 13th, 1836, which will bo found in the " Nou veau itecueil" of Martens, tome xv. p. 113. Having thus established by reference to treaties and to the fundamental principles of international law that the articles above enumerated form alone the objects of a prohibited commerce in time of war, M. de Hautefeaille goes still further, and declares that it is not permitted to a belligerent to extend this prohibition to other articles. " The restriction," he observes, " imposed by war on the absolute liberty of neutral commerce, in respect to the articles comprised under the name of contraband of war, is a duty imposed upon nations at peace by natural law, and is not a right of the belligerent. The belligerent possessing the exercise of no positive right is never entitled to render the restriction more onerous on neutral nations. He is not entitled to include in the pro hibited class such or such articles as he may desire to deprive his enemy of, in a word, to enlarge or circumscribe the circle of the restriction."—lbid., t. ii., p. 82.) Thus, according to international law and the ad mission even of the United States, neither cloth, nor butter, nor, strictly, even nitrate of potash, are con- traband of war. In the whole cargo of the Spring bok there were but one dozen rifle bayonets and swords really contraband. Now, the presence of these few articles amongst a cargo cannot justify the seizure of the entire cargo and the confiscation of the vessel which carried it. The law of nations is equally clear on this head: — "Neutral vessels laden, in whole or in part, with contraband of war destined for the enemy, are sub ject to seizure, but not in an absolute sense. They are not subject to this measure except in so far as regards the prohibited merchandise which they carry. On giving up to the cruiser this portion of their cargo they ought to be free to continue their voyage. In fine, except in the case of express stipulations existing between the belligerents and the neutral nation, the articles of merchandise pro hibited and subject to seizure are those only which are considered as such by national law, and which we have before enumerated, and that independently of all the laws, ordinances, regulations, orders, and proclamations of belligerents."--(lbid., iii., pp. 226 and 239.) This right of neutrals has been recognised not only by France, England, Sweden, Holland, Colum bia, and other states, but also by the United States themselves, in the treaties concluded by them with Prance in 1800, and with Columbia in 1843. It follows, 4 from the preceding text and reasoning, tli t the . spril b decisions of Judge Betts in the case of the _ok and of the Stephen Hart comprehend thre e ~,,( 51; :grant violations of international law, 1. The ‘ti3 . of commerce l to contraband 2. Arbitr a; assimilation of ordinary articles to!atraband of war. few Articles of an entire cargo because it comprised a b atieles of alleged contrab a nd of war. 3. Capture and ille g a londemnation of neutral c 4 t m 11E, property, under ne t prete sai ° at 1 itso wayofnreo xt that o f End one neu tral port to a n other, on g t he n p r operty had a n ulteri or d esti ) , - to o t t rect attention to belligerents. We have deemed it our dia 3 , to direct American these extraordinary aberrationa bench. L?t us add, however, thatt,ile fortunatel they are only the doings of an inferior tribunal y , to the Suprem e ' I o that the decisions which we have ezeozin ; been carried, on appeal, have the United States, where, for the reputation of of they will he illustrious tribunal, it is to be hopcd, reversed. Should it prove otherwise, and s h ell % the Supreme Court adopt the legal heresies of Judge Betts, and confirm his iniquitous condet e . nations, it will become the duty of all the maritime powers to protest against such a flagrant violation of national rights. [AnvErtm i EmENT.--Holloway's Fills._ of e ct, and Lite.—NV hen the blood is pure, its circulationrf perfect, the nerves in gcod order, we are well. These pills P"6scs a marvellous power in securing th e se great secrets of health _ by purifying, regulating, and strengthening fluids a nd solids. Holloway's pills can be coLfldently recommended to all persons suffering from disordered digestion or worried by nervous fancies or neuralgic pains. They correct acidity and heartburn, dispel sick headache, quicken the action of the liver, and act as alteratives and geut!e aperients. The weak and delicate may take them without fear. Holloway's Pills are . eminently serviceable to invalids of irritable con sedative influeneesand univeuellY ahullo/Is, as they raise the action of every organ to its natural standard, ,„ exercise a cahnir.- and THE SON, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 24, 186 g. BANQUET TO CAPTAIN SPEKE, On Tuesday night, a banquet in honour of Captain Spoke was given in the Grand Jury-room at the Shire-hall, Taun. ton. About 150 gentlemen sat down, under the presidency of Captain Scobell, the high sheriff of the county, and among those present we noticed Captain Speke Lord Taunton, Sir W. Medlycott, Sir A. Hood, M.P., Sir P. P. Acland, M.P., Sir W. Miles, M.P., Colonel Pinny, M.P., Mr. W. G. Langton, M.P., Mr. A. Mills, M.P., Mr. Danby Seymour, M.P., Mr. Sergeant Kinglake, MajorL Lieutenant - Colonel N ev ille, Lieutenant -Colonel N. Grenville, Captain Raban, T Ca ib p a ta r i t n , CCaaprteawin, DCazetatoinn,Emveajreodr,warry, The cloth having been drawn, letters of apology for non attendance were read from Lord Portman, Sir A. Elton, Sir John Lethbridge, Colonel Graham, Mr. Esdale, and Mr. Dickinson. The usual loyal toasts having been given, the toast of " The Bishop and Clergy" was acknowledged by The Rev. W. R. CLARK, vicar of St. Mary's, Taunton, who observed that it was right they should express their gratitude to Captain Speke for his cervices in the cause of religion, Christianity, and philanthropy, No class of men were more interested in the history of Egypt than the clergy of the Church of England, for it was the cradle of the great lawgiver and the cradle of Christianity. He believed that Captain Speke had done a great deal towards throwing open that part of Africa which promised not only to be the basis of its modern civilization, but also the best sphere for Christian missions. (Applause.) Lord TAUNTON proposed the toast of " The Army and Navy." He hoped the day would be far distant when the noble qualities inherent in our soldiers and sailors would be called into action. Those, however, belonging to the army and navy, he remarked, while professionally inactive, were finding a vent for their energy and perseverance in other fields. He need to look no further for an illus tration of this than to the gallant gentleman who was their guest—he had to look no further to see that the English soldier did not make time of peace a time of indolence and inactivity, Captain Speke was only a specimen of what English soldiers were able to carve out for themselves in times of peace. Captain Speke had returned with laurels as nobly won as any upon the battle field. No one who had perused his book but would see his endurance, his sagacity, all his prudence, which had en abled him to achieve the peaceful victories of .science. (Applause.) He had felt a privilege and a pleasure to join with other gentlemen in hailing Captain Spoke's return to his native country and in assuring him that during his labours his career was watched with the greatest sym pathy. If he should continue to go on to fresh efforts in that field in which he had already been so successful he could assure him that the best wishes of everybody con nected with the county of Somerset would accompany him in all his labours, and that when he returned they should only be glad to welcome him again. (Applause.) Colonel NEVILLE briefly responded for the army, and Captain SCOBELL for the navy, The CHAIMLA.N then proposed " The Health of Captain Speke." Captain J. H. SPEKE, who was received with vociferous cheers, spoke as follows :—You may depend upon it, gen tlemen, that it was the pride both of my county and of my country that carried me through my undertaking. (Ap plause.) Wherever I was I thought of home and worked accordingly. (Applause.) You all know, gentlemen, that in 1858 I hit the Nile upon its head, and that in 1863 I drove it into the Mediterranean Sea. (Hear, hear, and a laugh.) But, gentlemen, while you are doing me this great honour, and while you are complimenting :me as you have done on the success of my late career, I must not omit to do justice to those who went before me, and by whose im mediate instrumentality the work commenced. I have been accused in the public press of being ungenerous. It has been said that I have not remembered Beke, who proclaimed to the world that he imagined the source of the Nile to lie in the position in which I found it. All this, gentlemen, I grant ; but assure you that it was not on account of his hypothesis that this work was commenced. It was two missionaries, named Rebmann and Edhardt, who first commenced the work. They heard from the natives of Africa that in the interior of the continent there was, as they imagined, an enormous piece of water, extending from the equator over the 14th degree of the south latitude, and being about 300 miles in breadth. This occurred about the time of the Crimean war. Ono of these missionaries made a map of the country, and taking it to the Geographical Society of England, proposed to examine this piece of water and see exactly in what position it lay, He also proposed to ascertain, I believe, whether it had any outlets, and whether it formed the headquarters of any rivers. The Geographical Society was then at the height of its prosperity, and was very desirous that some measure should be taken to open up that part of Africa, and especially the loc a lity i n w hi c h this great hypothetical lake was situated. Captain Burton, hap pening to be in the company of Admiral Sir George Back, was accosted by him on this subject. Having heard of Capt. Burton, Admiral Sir George Back preferred him to the mis sionaries, thinking that the duties of the latter would inter fere with their labours in a geographical point of view. I was a necessity to Captain But ton, for I had formerlyserved with him in Africa, and had learnt the use of surveying in struments. We wont together from Zanzibar to Kingam, where I first heard from the natives that the Nyanza lay immediately to its northward, and that it was the largest piece of water in the country. They informed us that there were three lakes—viz., the Victoria Nyanza, the Tangan zika, and the N'ssa. Capt. Burton expressed his intention of going to the Tanganzika lake. I went there with him, and we navigated the lake, but our stores became exhausted and it was necessary that we should send for a fresh supply or return. I proposed the former alternative, but that was negatived. I pointed out that we had done nothing, that the people of England would expect some thing from us, and that we should return only as far as /Unlearn ; but my companion was ill, or doubtless he would have gone with me. At that time I had discovered the southern end of the Victoria Nyanza, and had proved that it was the source of the Nile, and as no one had anything to do with the discovery except the two missionaries, Capt. Burton, and Capt. Grant, who went with me on my last journey, I think, having said this much, I have done Justice to all parties. Your worthy chairman has hinted at my faLure prospects in Africa, but it could not be expected that he should know what I have in view. My object is nothing less than the regeneration of Africa. (Applause.) I believe—and I say I believe because I have only been across the tract once—that I have discovered a zone of won derful fertility in Africa. It stretches in a line with the equator from east to west, and its fertility perfectly asto eished me. 1 have shown that the altitude of the country is between 3,000 and 4,000 feet, that in the very heart of the country is a great mountain group, which are the rain bearers for fertilising the country, and the consequence is that throughout the whole duration of the twelvemonths there is a fall of rain on an average of two to three inches each day. There is a temperature as mild as that of this country in summer, and with the moisture, heat, and a rich soil combined you can imagine what the result must be. And although the climate is so temperate it is the most healthy of all the regions in which I have travelled. It may be said that I am to some extent acclimatised, but I don't judge from the effect of the climate upon myself alone. Tbere are Arab merchants and others who say that there is no place so healthy as the equatorial regions. (Hear.) Now, gentlemen, as this country is so prolific, as its cli• mate is so genial, as all facts tend to show that, properly de veloped, it is as fertile as any country in the world, I think, instead of devoting our attention to places more distant from the equator, where them are great rains, great droughts, and fearful famines, we should look to it. If means were taken to colonise it, there would, I am sure, be ample re payment. (Hear.) And if missionaries should again enter Africa, I would say that this region is especia:ly the spot to which they should direct their attention—(hear, hear) — and if ever they should do so they will meet there a people who are not purely heathen, but who, having emanated from the Abyssinian stock, have the germ of Chris tianity within them. (Hear, hear.) I wish particu larly to draw the attention of clergymen to these people. I am certain that it the kings who rule the country could be visited by our missionaries they would heartily re ceive them, for they told me so. (Hear, hear, and applause.) When I spoke to them of the power of knowledge they wished that I should educate their children—but I was fear ful that if those children were brought to this country they would not desire to return to their homes. I therefore told them that I would send missionaries to them, and, as they all accepted the view which I then expressed, I feel certain that they are now expecting their arrival. (Applause.) You have read, doubtless, of the number of lives which are sacri • feed in the kingdom of Uganda alone each year. It is really very fearful—but it is not only of those who are exe cuted, but those also who are carried off by slavery, that cause that country to be in so turbulent and so excited a state. Really something ought to be done to put a stop to this. (Hear, hear.) I would willingly go myself and lead the way. (Applause.) But I would prefer that to the regions there should go certain missionaries under such an able guide as Dr. Livingstone. (Hear, hear.) There should also be employed in the work negro clergymen, of whom many are to be found on the western coast. Of course,there could be as many young bloods as would like to go, being careful to ascertain that they are constituted for it, bearing in mind that in Africa the climate is during the whole year of an equal temperature. In England we enjoyed better health, because we were accustomed to the change, and we and appleuse)—whic'h i can never thrive so well elsewhere until we have been there t . t. certain time, and have got acclimatized. But,gentlemen, in addition to the clergy there ought to be ambassadors to Africa —men with authority emanating from our Govern ment,a ut gone' It and who i trading with the kings, would be able to put stop to the diabolical s st€ in of the slave trade—(hear,hear, cially s . :ruining the country,end mote espe inhabiting the district through which I hav e g o , Christianity, 1, 1118 1 a t tt is l truel latentt h i a n t these them . people A t th r e o s r a g m e t e theirtime those vile traders instead of purchasing the ivory with down the natives or bulletssteal them than anything else, and shoot th o se take many morn cattle, have rendered the Coen' away, and rob them of their so insecure that no one w a force superior to that can travel through it hasunlesauhnetr of the native races. I maintain that upon thousands of pounds in a fr uitle e ss u rn re anner in our efforts paying thousands to stop the slave - t rade ther e. Hip aerto, we have directed our efforts principally to running down sl a y ers instead of, as I think we ought to do, teaching the negroes to stand up for themselves. (Hear, hear.) The African is a very in telligent creature. I have travelled with many of them, who, although formerly, when in slavery considered them selves the property of their masters, because they hid been purchased, and would neither kill nor desert them, now declare that the degradation of their countrymen who are transported into slavery have so excited them that if a good spirit were infused into them they would rise to a man and help one another to keep down the traffic. (Hear, hear.) The more direct plan of doing this would be by organizing an expedition in the following way. In the first place let there be negro depots along the east and west coasts of Africa assisting emancipated slaves; let these be trained as sailors and taught the English language, so that they may assist our own navigators ; let the natives after being drilled be taken across the continent of Africa, and shown the posi. tions in which the trade chiefly ramifies, and then prevent the merchants conveying slaves to the ports. By this an organi zation would be created which would tend to the entire sup pression of the slave trade. I would engage in it myself if the Government felt inclined to support me in it. After the depots had been formed, I would take in the aggregate 500 meu, a few from each station, and I would then commence from the east coast of Africa and march across along the equator to the west coast. I would, at the same time, show those spots which are most advantageous to us in a mercantile point of view, and whichf would pave the way for a system of—l won't say colonization—but civilisation, and colonisation will necessarily follow. (Hear, hear.) That is a matter which we need not doubt for one moment, for the fact is the negro cannot govern his own land, and the land is such that it will be the subject of con tention before long. Austria has already her eye upon it. An Austrian gentleman has gone out there, and his object cannot be to discover the source of the Nile, because it is settled. (Hear, hear.) He may have gone out to certify to the truth of my statements, but they have been corrobo rated by my companion Captain Grant. (Hear, hear.) Captain Speke concluded by proposing the health of Captain Grant, and also the Geographical Society. The toast was very warmly drunk. Mr. DANBY SEYMOUR, M.P., responded on behalf of the Geographical Society, and other toasts followed, after which the meeting broke up. _ _ _ The ball took place at the London Hotel. Among those present we noticed Captain Speke, Lord Taunton, Lady Taunton, the Misses Labonchere (3), Mr. H. D. Seymer, M.P., Colonel Penney, M.P., Sir A. Hood, M.P., Sir P. Acland, Sir William and Miss Medlycott, Capt, Scobell, R.N., Mrs. Barton Scobell, Sir W. Miles, M.P., Mr. W. H. P. Langton, M.P, and Lady Anna Gore Langton, the Hon. Mrs. Elton, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Elton, the Hon. Miss Chetwynd, the Hon, E. J. Chetwynd, &c. do with the act which you committed, the Court has deter mined to sentence you to a short imprisonment, and to substitute a fine for the remainder of the sentence which it is proper to impose upon you. Of course, the fine must be of a substantial character, rather with reference to your position as an estated man than with reference exclusively to the consideration of the oftence for which you have been properly advised to plead guilty. Under all the circum stances of the case the judgment of the Court upon you is, that you be imprisoned in the common gaol of this county for one calendar month, and that you pay to our lady the Queen a fine of £3OO, and be further imprisoned until that fine be paid. The prisoner was then taken below. SOUTIIf WALES CIRCUIT.—CAnnirr, Dec. 21. (Before Mr. Justice Crompton.) Sarah Lancastell was indicted for the wilful murder of her child at Llandaff. Mr. Thomas Allen appeared for the prosecution; the pri soner was undefended. There was no doubt from the depositions that this unfor tunate woman was not in a sound state of mind at the time of the murder, and in consequence of what Mr. Payne, the surgeon of the gaol, said, a jury was empannelled to try whether she was in a fit state of mind. In answer to the questions put to him by the Court, Mr. Payne said that she was, in his opinion, in such a state as to render her unable to give an answer to any questions put to her, and that ho was afraid it was not a temporary but a lasting case of insanity. The unfortunate woman, it appears, met with some great domestic affliction about a year ago, and when the child whose death was the subject of the present charge was born she had a very bad confinement, and in a fit of insanity, de scribed by the doctor as puerperal mania, she forced her hand down the child's throat—labouring under the impres sion, as she said, that there was a fire inside it—causing al most immediate death. The jury at once found that the pri soner was not in a fit state to plead, his Lordship remark ing that the effect would be that she would be placed in an asylum, and that the circumstances of this sad case were such that in the event of her recovery he would give a cer tificate, if applied to, to render it necessary that she should undergo the formality of a trial. William Williams was charged with maliciously setting fire to a stack of hay, the property of Lewis Lewis, of Lan vaboll. Mr. T. Allen appeared for the prosecution. The prisoner was seen in the neighbourhood just before the fire, and soon after he went to the police-station and gave himself up, saying at the time that he was induced to do i 1 because he could not get work and was " hard up." The jury having found him guilty, he was sentenced to six years' penal servitude, his Lordship remarking at the time upon the enormity of the offence and the necessity of passing a severe sentence, as it was a crime much on the increase, he having sentenced no less than 11 persons for the same offence last week at Welshpool, in Montgomery shire. Thomas Phillips was charged on the coroner's warrant with feloniously killing and slaying one Griffith Phillips. Mr. Bowen appeared for the prosecution ; the prisoner, who was very much affected, was not defended. The circumstances of this case were very sad, and were shortly these :—The prisoner, who was a hardworking, in dustrious man, and bore the bent possible character as an affectionate husband and father, went home to his dinner one day, when, unfortunately, a somewhat angry discussion took place between him and his wife about the children not having sufficient meat for dinner, upon which she left the room, the prisoner taking up a small piece of iron and throwing it over his shoulder after her. The deceased, who was one of their children, aged nine years, was unfortunately behind him, and the piece of iron struck him on the fore head. A witness who called at prisoner's house soon after saw both him and his wife treating thechild with the greatest care. A doctor was subsequently called in, and found a small wound on the forehead, and attended the child until hie death, which took place in about a week, A post martens examination being made, a fracture of the skull was Lund immediately underneath the wound, causing inflam mation of the brain, which was the cause of death. His Lordship, in summing up, impressed upon the jury the necessity of finding the prisoner guilty if the death was caused by any illegal act of the prisoner, whether directed against the deceased or another, or by any wilful and cut pable negligence ; but that if they thought it was possibly the effect of an accident they would be warranted in acquit ting him. The jury immediately found a verdict of not guilty. SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS, TIMES.—It is now nearly 20 years since the Go vernment of New Zealand was engaged in its first great war with the natives. The contest was long, and, for a colonial war, bloody. Hostilities began in 1844, and the islands were not wholly tranquillised till 1848. In that time the British troops inflicted on the Maories many severe defeats, but it is doubt ful whether they did not leave them more skilful warriors and resolute enemies than they were at the beginning. The native fortification of the "pah" yielded everywhere sooner or later to the courage of our troops, but the Maories have never been con vinced that it is impossible for them to hold the country except by alliance with the English. They have never even been persuaded that it is out of their power to ruin the colonial settlements and re cover the lands of the white man for themselves, For years past the settlers have found themselves in presence of a race which cherishes a belief in its superiority and future good fortune. There are Maories who are hostile, and others who are friendly ; but, whether hostile or friendly, they have been encouraged by events, and perhaps by the action of our Home Government, to consider them selves a powerful and independent race, able to deal on at least equal terms with the English who are their neighbours. There is every reason to suppose that the outbreak which has lately occurred is the result of a long prevalent feeling. Naturally clever and learning something year after year of the qualities and weaknesses of the settlers, the Maori has fancied that he has come to be a match for them and the handful of regular troops which ordinarilyoccupiesNewZealand. He has his gun and his ammunition, sometimes his horse and cart; he has learnt by contact with civilization the art of combining with secrecy and forming able schemes. The war which has broken out in the neigh bourhood of Auckland would probably have been the most formidable in which the Government has been engaged, if it had not been for the promptitude of the colonial authorities, the courage ot• the settlers, and the generous help that had been received from the Australian mainland. The deadly nature of the strife may be understood from the despatch of Gen. Cameron, just published in the Gazette. The mur der of Mr. Armitage, who has lived several years among the natives, shows the determination of the enemy, and their power to bring ruin on isolated settlements. This gentleman was appointed super intendent of a =XII depot of stores at a place called Camerontown, and friendly natives inhabited a pah near the spot. The pah was suddenly attacked by a large body of the enemy, the friendly natives were driven out, Mr. Armitage was killed, and the stores were destroyed. A more conspicuous in stance, hawever, of the courage and strength of the enemy is the attack on Captain Swift's party. This officer, on hearing the fate of Mr. Armitage, went out with 50 men to scour the bush, and was mortally wounded in the fight with the natives which ensued. These events appear to have thoroughly roused the authorities, and, though they will not imitate the cruelty of the enemy, there is little doubt that the latter will receive a lesson which will put an end for ever to designs of massacre and plunder. The fault has been so wholly with them this time, the atrocity of their conduct has been so undeniable, the danger to the white population has been so threatening, that even the ordinary spokesmen and defenders of the native have been unable to say a word for him. The clergy, who have ever stood between the Maories and the white man, are now ready to admit that the Government and the colo nists must lose no time in putting down the revolt and punishing its instigators. A letter we pub lished some days since gave a description of the scene of war, and a narrative of events up to the last days of October. The ratives have betaken them selves to massacre, and do not scruple to shoot down unsuspecting settlers, and even young boys. But these crimes have aroused the spirit of all clasees. The slow operations of former wars are likely to be abandoned for more summary tactics. Auckland, which the natives thought to surprise, or at any rate to besiege, is so effectually garrisoned that General Cameron, even with an insufficient force, has been able to disregard the swarms of natives on his flank and rear, and keep the field on the banks of the Waikato. To meet the Maories in their own mode of warfare must be the tactics of the British C9m mandcr. It is said that the troops have become skil ful in bush fighting, and that flying columns will be organised to scour the bush and destroy detached and marauding parties of the enemy. More attempts to bring such bands of plunderers to a general action must generally end in failure. Gen. Cameron, for instance, has been encamped for some time opposite Mere-mere, a native stronghold on the Waikato. This place is supposed to be defended by a great number of Maories, and is probably well worth the trouble of taking. But the general fear seems to be that the enemy will steal away, and make the capture comparatively useless, inasmuch as the Maori is formtdab:e, not only from the posi tions he may occupy, but from his activity, cunning, and marauding propensities. Hence, if the natives evacuate the place, and, forming themselves into straggling parties, carry on the war, little will have been gained by theiriexpulsion from a single position. The military authorities seem to enter alive to the necessity of adopting a more, says prising kind of warfare. " A conviction, ._ r our correspondent, "is gaining groundhv that .l our t lea o r u n troops are to subdue the natives to meet theta in the bush in their 0: 11 f e a - sh. i°n * " . troops are becoming ace istomed to this kind of ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE. NORTHERN CIRCUIT, LIVERPOOL, Dec. 23. CROWN COURT. (Before Mr. Justice Willes.) A LANCASHIRE MAGISTRATE SENTENCED TO IMPRISON- 3IENT. William Standish Carr Standish, of Duxberry Hall, near Preston, who had been out on bail, was indicted for un lawfully and maliciously wounding Jchn Hesketh and Jas. Burke, on the higbway near Ormskirk, on the Bth of Sep tember. A second count charged him with an assault causing grievous bodily harm ; and a third with a common assault. Mr. Holkar, for the prosecution, offered no evidence on the first charge ; and the prisoner pleaded guilty to the other two charges ; and after some discussion he was placed in the dock for sentence. Mr. Attorney-General James,.Q.C., for the defence, said that in both cases the injuries sustained by Hesketh and Burke were of a trifling character, and whatever might be the judgment of the Court, Mr. Standish was prepared to compensate them to the fullest extent. Mr. Standish had for several years past suffered from congestion of the liver, a complaint always aggravated by residence in warm cli mates, yet in spite of this he served with his regiment in India and was present at the siege of Lucknow. There he became so ill that the Commander-in-Chief, at the request of his colonel, Sir W. Russell, gave him permission to return to England. While at Calcutta, en route for home, he had a sun stroke, which shattered his nervous system dread fully. On his return home he continued very ill, and his liver complaint caused him such agony that he could not sleep, and he smoked often to excess to try and lull his pain. It was after an unusually painful attack that Mr. Standish committed the offences to which he had that day pleaded guilty. Ho (Mr. James) would therefore express a hope that taking all the circumstances of the case into considera tion, the ends of justice would bo answered by Mr. Standish giving security to such an extent, and for such a period, as would protect the publi c f rom a repe ti t i on o f s i m il ar acts. Mr. Standish and his friends were also willing that he should be placed under whatever medical restraint and treatment should be thought advisable. The learned Judge, in passing sentence, said—William Standish Carr Standish, you have pleaded guilty to an in dictment for an assault committed upon a person of the name of Hesketh, and also for an assault against a person of the name of James Burke. Your learned counsel has urged upon the Court various reasons why they should pass a lenient sentence upon you, and you may depend upon it, notwithstanding the course which the Court feels itself com pelled to take in this case, that all which has been urged on it has been favourably received, and that the contents of the affidavits containing the substance of what the Attorney General has just stated have been fully and anxiously considered. You are here to answer for two assaults causing actual bodily harm, and there is also a count for common assault against you in each indictment. There can be no doubt that you did on the Bth Sept. last mount your horse, attired in the uniform of a distinguished yeo manry corps in this county, and that you did proceed to the country in a way which caused alarm to great numbers of her Majesty's subjects, and that you did in the course of sword your career an d fire flourisholf a i t pistol, and that yo u did a l so d raw your about, one man recei v i ng a t r ifli ng in jury—an injury trifling in itself, as h as be en t ru l y sta t e d by your counsel, but an injury . seri ous f rom th e c h aracter of the weapon with which it was inflicted, and above all (as you yourself must most deeply feel) from the uniform which was worn by the person who committed the act. These are circumstances which, unless some substantial ground is submitted to the Court for the purpose of inducing it to ab stain from doing so, would call for the most serious sen tence, and none the less because you are a person occupying a high position in the county, representing as it seems an ancient family, and you yourself being a person whom the Court cannot doubt from the affidavits has been received with favour and affection amongst the most distinguished people of this country. The Court, however, while it must take what I may properly call a professional view of the case —it is its bounden duty to do so; while it must, in passing sentence, look to the security of the people, and take care that no person who is answerable for his actions—and I have no doubt, upon the affidavits, and everybody must rejoice to hear it, that you are now answerable for your actions, should escape an adequate punishment; the Court, while it must take care that the public is secured by a substantial sen tence upon persons who so seriously interfere with the public peace of the county, must not forget what it is that has brought you into the state in which you committed this, which I may permit myself to call, extraordinary and singular escapade. The Court must also consider the pro bability and improbability of similar acts being done either by you or by any person who would be in a position to do them. With respect to the latter, I repeat the act is of an extraordinary description unlikely to recur, and in that respect, though the Court must pass upon you a sentence most serious to you, they would not feel bound to pass upon you a sentence of a more'serious kind. With respect to the former, there can be no doubt that the frenzy—as it has been properly designated by the Attorney-General on your behalf —in which these acts were committed, although in part it must have been occasioned by something which you had taken, is also in 14measure to be attributed to your having suffered from serious illness in the East in the ser vice of the Queen, and that is the feature of the case to which the Court looks with the greatest satisfaction and with a desire to allow it all due weight in passing sentence upon you. It is also true that upon looking at the deposi tions the evidence makes it clear that the pistol which you fired was not loaded with a bullet. The other pistol which was found you appears to have had no bullet in it. Whether there was anything else in the pistol is not so clear. One may suspect and speculate upon it—but it is clear to my mind that the pistol was not loaded with ball, and that the person who was hit with that pistol was not even wounded. It appears to have been fired close and the contents to have reddened his shoulder. I must say here that I commend the course taken by the able and discreet counsel who con ducts the prosecution, in not proceeding with the graver charge upon that indictment, for it appears to me clear upon the evidence that you could not have been convicted of the graver charge. With respect to the injury inflicted upon the other man, it was fortunately also of a slight character, and upon that also I think a proper course has been taken, looking at all the circumstances of the case. I have now re viewed all the facts, and it remains for the Court to say what sentence shall be pronounced upon you. The Court in this case has a discretion vested in it to sentence you to fine or to imprisonment,or to require security for your future . conduct. I am bound to say that I do not think the office of the Court would be judiciously exercised in requiring secu rity for your future conduct, for you are a person of fortune and friends,and no doubt yourself a person of education and of discretion, such as the experience of your life must have given, and the Court has a complete assurance from these circumstances, much more than from any security for your good conduct, in saying that such a security would in this case be nugatory. Then comes the question whother yon are to be fined, or imprisoned, or both—and I very much lament to say, that having given this case my most anxious consideration, although the Court thinks that to a certain extent a fine may be substituted for imprisonment, it is of opinion that looking to this having taken p lace on a public highway, and it being impossible to treat you as a person not responsible for a our actions, it is necessary to pass some sentence of imprisonment upon you, even looking at it from the point of view which must bo taken with re ference to the mere police treatment of t he subject. The Court, however, has determined with reference to that cir cumstance, which has been already adverted to, and suffi ciently dwelt upon—the fact of your having suffered i n th e East, an illnessbrought ou by that having bad to mach to _ and habit gives confidence : they believe intended only to preclude paper blockades, enforced fighting, a '- - natives, and " the natives are "by a man-of-war appearing now and then in the they can beat the •- - opinion." It is to this offing.' Of course this is not true; the words of coming round to a sunup- - le for an early end the article are clear, definite, and susceptible of no kind of warfare that to must tou_ eing into the such interpretation. Uftheppily we must go further, of the war. Flying columfidi penetru,_ . ^rating and say that Lord Russell knows that it is not true. districts occupied by the enemy, it op.. For in i 1856 he took the words of the article in their boldly and stiddenly, will strike greater fear the_ E u sense, and, in so doing, justly and forcibly the march of a whole brigade to attack a stockade uh: r . or a " pab," which the Maories have built to be be- dnoutm :ed it as a foolish, imprudent, and unsatis seiged, and can generally retire from whenever they factory arra.:eemnt—terms pr u de inapplicable to please. Why should not Englishmen be as active in the inter pret ` ostib :i which he now puts upon the the bush as any native P At home they are aeons- clause. On his own e'vidence, therefore, he stands towed to walk and run and climb, and what convicted of a flagrant brte2ch of faith in the matter is there but the restraints of conventional of the blockade; of an attempt to cover . that breach discipline to prevent them doing so when an of faith by prevarication ; and of - enemy has to be pursued ? The small bodies of tematic perversion of neutrality i - r , he interest of a wilful and sys men whom the General is sending out in various the Northern States. directions will probably harass the enemy more, and give him a more disheartening notion of the übiquity and power of the British force, than if ten thousand men were drawn up in order of battle before Auckland. There may be something re volting to European notions in the ambuscades which are a feature in this kind of warfare, but the ferocity of the natives and the danger which arises from allowing bodies of them to lurk in the neigh bourhood of the settlers must be the excuse for any departure from the usual practice of armies. As to the conduct of the settlers themselves, it is worthy of all commendation, and the same may be said of the people of New South Wales and Victoria, who have given all the help in their power to their threatened brethren. The New Zealand Govern ment has promised grants of land to military set tlers who will serve three years, and a volunteer force of 2,000 men has been organised in Australia, of whom nearly half have been contributed by the colony of Victoria. This force is independent of a considerable body of men raised in New Zealand, where in one way or another the whole population of the country about Auckland is in arms. It is from the co-operation of these large forces with the small body of regular troops that we hope for the speedy suppression of the disturbances. The time has come when the Australian colonies are popu lous enough to carry on their own local wars, and we hope that tranquillity will be restored without further demands on the Home Government. But when that has been done, both the British and Co lonial authorities will have the scarcely less ar duous duties of peace to perform. A correspon dent, whose letter we publish to-day, points out the faults of our administration, and it certainly seems that there has been a strange mixture of weakness and false security. The Government has left the natives so much to themselves that they have come to look upon their tribes as inde pendent; while the white man with his habitual disregard of a lower race's self esteem, has done much to put enmity between himself and the Maori. It is the history of the North American Indian over lagain. The two races, if left to themselves, would probably carry on desultory warfare for a genera tion or two, till the Maori would disappear like the red men east of the Mississippi. Bat the Govern ment owes protection to the natives at the same time that it has a right to exact obedience. It is said that many of them desire a stronger and more active administration, which will really make the Governor their chief. When reduced to submission, t hey may easily be retained in it and made useful subjects by a truly vigorous and paternal rule. HERALD.—It is with feelings:of regret and shame —feelings which will, we believe, be shared by every Englishman to whom the honour of England is more dear than the interest of a domestic faction or a foreign belligerent—that we call the attention of our readers to that part of the Message of the Pre. sident of the Confederate States which deals with the foreign relations of his Government. That Message places on recoed before the world, for the information of our latest posterity, the conduct of the British Government during this American con test; and in its simple narrative of facts are con veyed reproaches which must sting the heart of every honest Englishman—reproaches too bitter to be endured, and too just to be resented. It is not now that we have to learn what a miserable thing it is to be represented by. Lord Russell. When his lordship intrigued in Greece and Italy, England bore the blame ; when he betrayedaind menaced Denmark, " British faith" was the theme of con temptuous sarcasm throughout the Continent; when he insulted Brazil, England was taunted with wanton insolence ; when he hectored Russia, and inveigled Poland into delusive hopes and fatal ob stinacy, England received the harsh words which her Minister had deserved. And now the disgrace falls not on him, but on the country by whose ills fortune it is rendered possible that her honour should be in the keeping of John Earl Russell. He has talked in Parliament about neutrality ; he has pretended to observe an honest and impartial indif ference in a quarrel which is none of ours ; and Parliament has been weak and ignorant enough to believe him. What language has he held in his correspondence with his friends, and England's bitter enemies, at Washington ? What has been the bent and purpose of his arrangements for en forcing his boasted "non-intervention ?" How has he treated the Government and representatives of a nation anxious to cultivate the friendship and good will of England ? Let him speak for himself. In May, 1861, he pleaded with Mr. Seward that her Majesty's Government had only allowed to the South a sort of intermediate position, and that the sympathies of England were with the North. Then he interdicted our ports to prizes taken by either nation—a measure for which Mr. Seward expressed his gratitude, as giving a death-blow to Southern privateering. In June, 1861, Mr. Adams had the impudence—we can call it nothing else—to complain of the reception of the Southern commissioners, and to threaten that the United States would regard it as an act of a hostile charac ter, and take action accordingly. A man of spirit would have administered a severe rebuke to this impertinence ; an honest English Minister evould have reminded the Federal Ambassador that, ex cept as regards the formality of recognition, the Confederate and the United States were on an equal footing before the world, and that it was his duty to receive the envoys of either party, not indeed with the same formalities, but with equal courtesy. What did Lord Russell? He actually apologised to Mr. Adams, and assured him that he had no expectation of seeing the Southern commis sioners again ! We waste no words on this act of gratuitous self-degradation and meanness, but pass on to another instance. In October, 1861, Mr. Adams again complained, this time that, in accor dance with every rule of international law, the Con federates were purchasing munitions of war in the Bahamas. Of course they had a right to do this; and at the same time the Federal agents were avowedly making large purchases of arms in Eng land. Did Lord Russell state to Mr. Adams that the Confederates had a perfect right to buy what and where they pleased ? Not he. He obtained a denial of the fact from the authorities of Nassau, and forwarded it to Mr. Adams, to satisfy him that " the unwarrantable act" alleged had not taken place. In pursuance of the same policy he has re peatedly caused seizures to be made of vessels which he thought might be sold to the Confederates, end might be armed and equipped by them elsewhere than in British ports; straining and perverting the Foreign Enlistment Act to this end, while to his knowledge thousands of Irishmen are carried over in British ships to recruit the Federal army. These charges are every one of them not merely sustained, but proved beyond denial, by the language of Lord Russell's own despatches; and they involve an amount of treachery towards the Confederate States, servility towards the North, and disloyalty to England, sufficient to condemn to perpetual infamy even a man of character previously stainless. But Lord Russell pleads guilty to them all without hesitation—pleads guilty, do we say ? He boasts of his guilt. He points out to Mr. Seward that the course of her Majesty's Government "has been ex ceedingly advantageous to the cause of the more powerfui of the two contending parties." After this, Lord Russell's panegyrists bad better thro w down their briefs. For, if they say that our neu trality has been honest and impartial they give the lie to their client's own assertion that it has been " extremely advantageous to the stronger party;" and if they admit that he spoke the truth therein, they convict him of a dishonest and unneutral policy. 'We have spoken out, more than once, the shameful truth on the subject of the pretended blockade of the Confederate coest. We need do no more, on this occasion, then call attention to the masterly statement of the case by President Davis. When that blockade was proclaimed it extended over 3,000 miles of coast, and the navy that was to enforce it numbered 24 ships of war. Therefh;rhee, under the worst and most violent precedents Z ny worst times of old, the blockade international law, and Lord Ru i s h f i fct to the more than one occasion, pointed ourtetdhit with them guai ,tie blockade to the Federal Government, and tookn se l v ir invsaelf, on fur having acknowledged it; interests of Greet honour and in contempt of Britain. Subsequently, no Lich ,route force w ,. ch render it acquired a degree of " .. that rev.iilud before 1856. valid under the law p hdleoudbc:,i° ; e, anew standard But, in the meantm_ ~G o vernment, had been introduced. Her lk_tea . - sty s con jointly with that ' te. li ranee, hadasked and ob tained the adherence of the n —onic ed • etate States to the three last articles of the Paris Convention on maritime law. Two of these articles were purely f o r the advantage of neutrals s trictly observed by ; and have been The third wa s of mutual the Confede r ate cruisers. mutual interest to the weaker maritime belligerent ' do tiered th a t it a b' ant. to neutral powers; it de .cckade to be binding must be main • tained by a force sufficient rattily to prevent access to the coast of the enemy." 'When called upon to carry out this article Lord Russell pleads that it was COUNTRY MA.RKETS. ----- The weather during the past week has been fine and mild, with south-west winds. At to-day's market there was fair attendance of the trL de, with a small supp l y of wheat' The demand was active, and the prices of last week were fully supported. Malting barley at late rates, and grinding sorts dull. Oats and Leans were slow. White 445 39 s to to 45540 s Grinding ----- 3336:s t 0 0 0 3 3 7 4: 11 , :d Beans .43s to 44s I Oats.. New 38s to 40s Peas .—s to --- HULL—TUESDAY. At this day's market the show of English wheat was short, with a slow sale, at a decline of is upon late rates. Foreign was neglected, but quite is lower to sell. SpriDC corn very little altered. Wheat.... Old white....per qr .. 42s Od to 4 4 s 00 Old red New white .. ~ New red .... „ Barley.... English malting 328 Od to 36s Od Grinding 24s Od to 26s 61 Saal and Oderbruck Holstein and Danish Grinding Oats English, old Archangel and Riga, per at 3232o 2 oB2Bs s s B l°°o ° 2cidd die lttttooo ot o3332s4llBB : :3oodoclc:;l Friesland and Dutch oBl3d to 08130 Swedish and Danish 051241 to 0813 d Beans ....English, old, per qr. 4os Oa to 438 Oct New pigeon 42s Od to 41s Od New tick Egyptian Peas ..Foreign boilers Grinding Tares ....Spring, —s Od to —s Od Indian Corn Linseed, feeding crushing •• 4os Od to 528 Od Lintieed cakes (H u ll) £9 5 0 to £ 0 0 0 Foreign Bl5 oto 9 0 0 Rape cakes 6 0 oto 0 0 0 B ones 5 5 oto 510 MELTON MOWBRAY—TUESDAY. The following were the currencies :—New white wheat, 41s Od to 46s Od; new red, 38s Od to 42s per 36 stone; beans, 38s to 40s for old; new sorts, 35s to 37s per 38 at. ; barley, 33s to 37s for malting, and 29s to 31s per qr. tt?r grinding ; new oats, 22s to 25s Od per 24 stone ; old, 266 to 30s. COAL 1.1.1.11KET. Prim of Coal per's ' on at tne dose 01 the market. a. d. I Byass's Bebside West Hartley ....16 6 Cowpen Hartley 16 6 Lambert's West Hart- ri. d• ley l6 3 West Hartley ..16 6 Holywell 17 9 Hastings Hartley l6 6 Eden Main .. . ..18 6 Waldridge Gas ......16 0 Wylam 17 6 West,Wylam.. . l6 0 Walker Primrose 15 0 Walls End. Tunstall Haswell .....••.20 0 South Hetton ...20 0 Braddylr s Hutton ..... 19 0 Hartlepool ..19 East Hartlepool ...... 20 0 Heugh Hall .......... 19 0 South f1art1ep001......18 9 Kelloe l9 0 Byron) 18 9 17 9 Gosforth Harton 17 v Wharncliffe lB 0 Frauiwellgate ...18 0 Cassop ... 19 0 Caradoc l9 , t, 87 ; sold. 63. Walls End. Russel's Hetton 19 0 South Kelloe. 19 0 Retton 2O 0 Ships at marks] Foreign Mail Packet List. MAILS DUE. Australia and Mauritius, via Southampton . . Dec. 1 8 . via Marseilles .. Jan. 12. brazil and Cape Verds, by British packet........ Jan. 4. Cape of Good Hope, Ascension, and St. Helena.•pe c • ? 9 * China, Penang, and Singapore, via Southatupton.J an • ,V 7. via Marseilles • .•D e° ' `I Falkland Islands Gibraltar, via Southampton Dec. 27. India (Calcutta), and Ceylon, viu Southampton Jan. 2 -- via Marseilles Dec. 27. India (Bombay), via Southampton Dec. 27. via Marseilles Dec. 21.. Portugal.... Malta, Egypt, and Aden, via Southampton Dec. 27. via Marseilles Dec. 21. Newfoundland Oporto and Vigo U. S. and British N. America, by J3rit. packet... Dec. 23. by U.S. packet.... by Canadian packet.. Jan 1. W.C. of Africa, Madeira, and Teneriffe Tan. 10. Bahamas, via New York Jan. 14, Mexico Dec. 21L All parts of West, Indies, including Chili, Peru, i Dec. 29. California. and British Columbia. CRYSTAL PALACE.—The great Christmas tree will be lighted up this evening at dusk. The Palace will be open on Christmas-day from nine till dusk ; the com pany's orchestral band will perform, and the usual attrac tions will be on view. It has been arranged that extra trains shall run each hour, from nine in the morning till dark, from London-btidge, Victoria, and also by the London, Chatham, and Dover Railway from Elephant and Castle to Sydenham-hill and Paige. On Saturday, Boxing• day, the Christmas revels will commence. These will present the usual combination of holiday attractions, with several highly' successful novelties. THE LAST FRENCH SUICIDE.—One of those tragedies which never happen out of France occurred last week in Paris. A married man, aged 52, had grown tired of his wife, and gone to live with a young girl of 20, with whom he had contracted a liaison. He soon becato weary of his mistress as of his wife, and of his life as either. a ttar had kept up intimate relations with his wil e ceasing to live with her, and called on her last week to beg her to favour him and Mdlle. X. with a call at the }Wei Meuble, in which they resided as man and wife. ga deele consented to pay that visit ; but just as she was starti ng go to the Rue Racine, in which the hotel was situated, eh received a note from her husband, saying, " Befor e Y°`,. receive this note, I shall have ceased to exist." Th e wile hastened to the police, and then to the house. The door was closed, and a paper wafered on it said, " Out for the day." The door was at once broken open, and there, 111 attitudes of calm repose, were found the two unhappy bleu tims. The girl had left the following letter on th e to which stood close to the fatal brazier where charcoal w as still burning !—" Each has his destiny in this world. . 1 ' can not escape from mine. I must go to join the Supr enl° Being. Last year I tried and failed ; this time I hope 11 10 be more fortunate. I die with the only being who tro" loves me. Mother, pardon my faults, and the grief I sha ll cause. You will find enclosed the cross and the medals Yoll gave me." ADVERTISEMENT.]—Avoid medicines: they always aggra vide chronic complaints, but Du Barry's Delicious Restoring Revalenta Arabica Food, which saves fifty times its cost in other remedies, invariably cures them, restoring perfect digestion, strong nerves, sound lungs, healthy liver. pure blood, refreshing sleep, functional regularity, and everg9 to the most disordered or enfeebled. We extract a few out of 60,000 Cures :—Curo No. 58,216 of the Marchioness de Brehan, Paris, of a Liver complaint, wasting away for seven years, debility, with a nervous palpitation all over, bad digestion, constant sleeplessness, the moat intolerable nervotta agitation, and dreadfully low spirited.—Cure No. 1,771. Lord, Stuart de Decies, Lord Lieut. of Waterford, of maul' yea rs dyspepsia.—No. 49,832. "Fifty years' indescribable agour from dyspepsia, nervousness, asthma, cough, constipation: flatulency, spasms, sickness, and vomiting.—Maria —Cure No. 46,270. Mr. James Roberts, of Frimley, Surrey' thirty years' diseased lungs, spitting of blood, liver deran% ment, and partial deafness.—Cure No. 47,121. Miss ElizalT Jacobs, of extreme nervousness, indigestion, gatherings , spirits, and nervous fancies.—Cure No. 54,816. The Rev. Ja°' T. Campbell, Fakenham, Norfolk, "of indigestion and torpi" , dity of the liver, which had restated all medical treatm. In tins, 1 lb., 2s. 9d. ; 21b., 4s. 6d ; ; Abet, London; 405.—Barry Du Barry and Co., No. 77, RegealA re chorgists In also Fortnum and Mason ; and all Grocers an" every town of the United Kingdom . is. of a daughter. Births. CHAPHIN.—On the 22d inst.. At 86, Eaton-place, the w ife of Edmund H. Chapman, BA" HONVES.—On the 21st ins„ at Chatham, the wife of Capt. F. A. Howes, TREVOR. —On the 22d inst., at 35, Eaton-place, the Lady Edwin Hill Trevor, of a son. VAUGHAN....-On the 21st inst., at Fulwood-park Liver pool, Xre. George Vaughan, of a son. 1 R.E., of a son. Marriages. war A Lx.EIL- --13 7 0 . — 0n the 22d inst., at St. Matthew's , B ri xton,William John Pilkington Walker, Esq., of Stockwell-green, Surrey, to Fanny, youngest daughter of the late John Peto, Esq., of Larkha!l-lane, Claphaiu• WYLDE — HAYDOCK.—On the 22d inst., at Dover, Robert Gervas Wylde, Esq., second son of Lieut. - Gen. W y lde, C. 8., to Barbara Mary, only daughter of the late James H. Haydock, Esq., of Datchet Lodge. Deaths. B L° B sE. On the 21st inst., Willi a m Conyngham Lync h Btosse, Captain R.A., aged 37. BRODIE.—On the 21st inst., at Camden-town, Mr. John Brodie, aged 47. CLINCH.—On the 22d inst., John Clinch, Esq., of Lewis ham, aged 71. CouLcumt.—On the 19th inst., at Wattisfield Rectory, the Rev. George Couleher, aged 58. EDIVARDS.—On the 19th inst., at 8, Belgrave-read, Jolla Eawards, builder, aged 58. HARRIS.—On the 18th inst., at Radford, Devon, Colonel Harry Baited Harris, K.H., aged 75. POLLARD.—On the 21st inst., at Southlands, TorcillaY, Wm. Pollard, Esq., aged 76. --- London : PAIL d and Published by WILLIAM ANDREWS of No. 112, Strand, Printer , at TUE SUN Otlice No. 11 2, Strand, in the Precinct of the . 521 - ioy, .fn the County atihiellebeL 7 ThutsiblY, December 2 1 , 1863. 1,10,T pßor ehar; their Fa strec friar thaEc ] and tl At ~_ ~~' 1 Thil Itlerea Beale 4 Par Street P.DIN In. entitl Car el Me Th Th £85,0 410,C parts same now Th Dosl or G bunr M , ! will nal