The Sun. — London, England, 1864-12-27 00:00:00

IIIoNEY MARKET AND rOMMBNCIAL INTELLIGENCE, CITY, TWELVE O'CLOCK. Business has been resumed this morning in dis -1414t circles on a rather active scale. The brokers !Pe still requiring accommodation for short periods, I I ! Order to arrange their accounts falling due at pres en t season, but for ordinary commercial ttleiness the inquiry for assistance has been insigni. %tit. The supplies of capital on offer remain t i e ,r)" abundant, but the active demand keeps up e rate to 6 p e r cen t. f or the best pap er . L oans t ' 4 , t e'tll day to day have been in good request a t th e 'took Exchange, at 51 per cent. CITY, Two O'CLOCK. At Paris, this day, according to Mr, Renter's 4 elegrem, the 3 per cent. French Rentes were f• 35c. Firm. .• Business has been resumed in the Stock Ex. c hange to-day, but there is very little inclination ' ll the part of the public to speculate, and the dealings for transfer are equally restricted. The b argains entered into are chiefly in connexion with `, t he settlement of th e f or t n i g htly accoun t i n f ore i gn b ands and the various descriptions of shares. Con -1018, however, are 1 higher than at the close of the Market on Friday, the present quotations being 4 8 follows :—For money, 891 1; and for the 10th Proximo, 803- 1. The New Threes and Reduced 411 fluities are 881 ; 5 - 7 ; India 5 per Cents., 102 k 43 ; and Enfaced 5 per Cents., 101. In the Foreign Market there is not much atima• l ion, but prices exhibit - firmness. Turkish 6 per 'Cents., 1862, are 72 1; do. Consolides, 47. 483- . ; kezie,n, 291 ; do. New, 271 ; Greek, 234 Q ; IPanish Passive, 322- 8 ; do. Certificates, 141 i; 4 'orto uese 48 • the Confederate Loan, 61 63 ; the g . gYpttan, 11 prem. ; the Danubian, die. par; kid the Montevidean, 2 1 prem. Business in the Railway Share Market has been moderately aotive, and prices have in most instances s hown an upward movement. Metropolitan have it tproyed L 1 lOs ; Midland, L 1 ; South East ern , Sys; and Great Western, Lancashire and Yorkshire, d North Western, each ss. The Foreign and Colonial lines exhibit little change of importance. Bank and Miscellaneous Shares are in moderate request, at steady rates, BRITISH FUNDS-ONE O'CLOCK. GOVERNMENT FUNDS. ''' kr Cent. Console a Do Account, Jan. 10 N Per Cent. Reduced O'3w 3 per Cent. BBf 1 1 ..,w 2} per Cent. Jan. 1894 4, uo 5 per Cent., Jan. 1873 — tuluities, 30 yrs, expire 6th Jan., 1880 — 1) 0 for 30 yrs, expire sth April, 1885 — uo (Red Sea Telegraph), Aug. 1908 — `kchequer Bills, £l,OOO, &per Cent 3 Do £5OO Do £lOO and £2OO "'"tik Eugland Stk, 51 per. Ct. ") Account.. t h. , I NDILN GOVERNMENT SECURITIES. '''",,i(t Stock, 10} per Cent., April 1874 '' Do Account — ",0 5 per Cent. July, 1870 Do Account J-10 4 per Cent., Oct, 1888 . Do 5 per Cent., Jan. 1872 lOl Do 51 per Cent., May, 1879 — Do 4 per Cent., Aug. 1866 ,D 0 Bondsil,ooo "0 under £l,OOO FOREIGN FUNDS—ONE O'CLOCK. 4 , getrian Bonds, 5 per Cent — 4 r4zilian 5 per Cent Do 4i per Cent,, 1852-58-60 ...... '4 Do 1863 — "Uenos Ayres 6 per Cent , Do Account.... Ailian. 6 per Cent. C olombian 6 per Cent uula tt , 6 per Cent. - ,Do 5 per Cent. 1864 ` J anish 3 per Cent., 1825 Do 5 per Cent, 1864 „ Do 5 per Cent., 1773-77, £25 paid — pm ' f litador New Consolidated, 1 per Cent — It Do , Provisonal Land Warrant.. — gYptian 7 per Cent 96 D,o, Second Issue "0 £lOO Bonds , Do 1864 95 .uo Scrip, £l5 paid ] pm `ireek 5 per Cent., 1824-5, ex-Coupons — Do Account Do Coupons De Account v uatemala 5 per Cr -. Do 1839 and 185 ~.....- I talian 5 per Cent.(Matemmana Railway, 71i v 't t 3 aic a n 3 per Cent Do Account no 1564 ._,—, Do 6 per Cent. Anglo-French di. 11 0 Scrip, 153 paid — dis l'o French Sorip, Ex. 25f 20c.. — dis x d t - oorish Imperial 6 per Cent .. — W Granada .. — Do 2 per Cent. Do Deferred Do Land Warrants (Hectares) — Do Debentures, 4 per Ct., April 1864 — 1'- Do do Aug., 1866 — , ruvian 4} per Cent .. _ lio 3 per Cent. (Uribarren) — Do 4i per Cent., 1862 Do Account P ortuguese 3 per Cent., 1853 Do Account — Do 3 per Cent., 1856, '7, '9, '6O, 62,'3 43 Do Account • • --- "'Lucian 6 per Cent 1822, I St., B9 1)0 41 per Cent., 1850 — Do 1860 — bo 3 per Cent 1869 63i Do 5 per Cent, 1862 874 Do 1564.... BB} Do Scrip, £65 paid pm eardinian b per Cent Do Account °Panish 3 per Cent 1.)0 Account Do New Deferred Do Account Do Passive Do Account E Danish Cert. of Coup not funded . Do Account — ~.,"7 0 dish, 4 per Cent. k arkish 6 per Cent. 1854 B9 Do Aooount Do 6 per Cent. 1858 Do Account' ' *--- Do £lOO Bonds --i Do 6 per Cent. 1862 Do Account .. Do £lOO Bonds Do 6 per Cent. 1863 Do Guaranteed, 4 per C0nt..... — Venezuela 3 per Cent. Do Account -- Do 6 per Cent., 1862 Do Account Do 6 p Cent., 1864 OOO • • Do 11 per Cent Dividends on the above payable in London tkUstrian, 5 per Cent., Ex. 10 Florins. „Belgian 41 per Cent., Ex. 25f — 4 itztola 21 per Cent., Ex. 12 Guil — , Do 4 per Cent. Certificates ‘r ranch Rentes, 3 per Cent. — Italian, 5 per Cent., 1861, Ex. 25 francs — ~ Do A moun t ,•reruvian Dollar Bonds, 41 per Ct. Bx. 4s. riednaonteee, 6 per Cent,, x. 25f — TWO 0 1 0LOOX, Consols, Money B9a Do Amount Liverpool Cotton Market—This Day Market firm. Sales probably 8 000 bales or more SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE—This day. • -O. LONDON, Dec. 27.—Wind this day at noon—North- Westerly ; moderate breeze, mad fine weather, but rather ekoudy and cold. QUEENSTOWN, Deo. 24.—Wind W.—Arrived—Amora, fro m Demerara. FALMOUTH, Dec. 26.—Wind S.W.—Sailed—Erie, for 13 0111 bay. PLYMOUTH, Dec. 26.—Wind N.E.—Arrived—Suffolk, from London for Melbourne. PILL, Dec. 24.—Wind W.S.W.—Sailed—Penelope, fc r Africa. CLYDE, Dec. 26.—Wind W.S.W.—Arrived—lris, from Demerara. Sailod—Eleanor Dixon, for Valparaiso—China, f or Demerara. (BY MAGNETIC TELEGILAP/I.) GRAVESEND, Tuesday Morning. Arrived.—Urano, from Landscrona—Triton steamer T rout Boulogne. , , DEAL, Tuesday Morning. b Passed, Dec. 2G . — Regina, for Buenos Ayres—Leon - 'o3'oaondo, for Madeira—Bristol, for Bombay —all from A.4`.:ndon. An cffi ie.' communication has appeared in several 1)1 the French journals contradicting a statement made by 4 , Belgian paper th a t a F re nch War Administr a ti on i s a b out ' 0 discharge the class of soldiers whose time of service will 413 t expire till the end of 1865. The truth is that 30,000 '3?laditional discharg es are t o b e distributed among the sol- Fdiers o f t h at class belonging to regiments at present in r ance; tut the men w h o app ' y f or th em w ill rema i n at he disp osa l o f the Minister of War until their definite dia hArge e ou the 31A Dec., 1865, SHARE MARKETS,—This Day. SHAltEti AND STOUP_, raid. Closing , Business Mare Railways. Price. done. 3ir., Wol., and Str. Val. l all flytlie and Tyne. ' 100 Bristol and Exeter i 100 Caledonlan ! 10 , nor., and Bandol, ..... I all Cornwall ! al l Do B . A acts no dlv' Do Aall till 6p e.p an. has 7 all been paid to B. Dublin & Belfast June.l all Dun.,Perth4Ah. Juno. , all Edinburgh & Glasgow. 100 Ulasg. and S. Western. , 100 Great Eastern, Ord. stic' 100 Ditto A stock 1 - - 87 SO 131 132 6 7 34 36 16 17 89 91 106 108 474 181 Ditto EastAnglian st GreatNerthot Scotland' Great Northern.. ...... ! 7i 81 Do A stock 131 136 156 157 130 132 b 9 91 70 Do B do Gt. S. ani tiff. cf Irelan ,Great Westerr,Original r Do Str Val n•ua. Do. South Wales .... Do. West Aid. —Oxford 67 G 9 58 60 44 46 100 102 1164 %17 83 84 105 106 38 40 120 12 97 98 61 65 Do Newport Do Hereford Lancashire & Yorkshire London and Blaokwall Lon., Bright.,& S. Coast Lon., Chat., and Dover Lon. & North Western Lon. & So'Ath Western Man., Slid., & Lincoln. Maryport and Carlisle. Do f shares... Metropolitan Midland Do Binning. & Derby Mid. Gt. W. of Ireland Do. shares Mid Kent ... North British Edin., Perth, & Dundee Nth. Eastern—Berwici. Do, G.N.E. purchase Do Leeds Do York Do Carlisle Do. Stock. & Darling Do do 1855-58 Do do 14 , 1,..61 ,North London Do New Do New, 1864 North Staffordshire ll N. and S. W. Junction Scottish Central Scot N. E., Aber. stook Do Scot. Mid. stock Shrews, and Welohpool Shropshire Union South Devon.. South Eastern • • I staines,Wok.,andWok Taff Vale.. Do C Vale of Neath Waterford & Kilkenny' West Cornwall W. Hartlepool 121 ;22 1391 140 103 111 55 66 256 t 66 114 1146 72i 7:3i li4 104 i 37/ 181 11 12 p 9 10 120 125 11 2 1 , 1 14 79 60 101 138 142 58 63 44 46 86 E6} 8 9 163 168 34 44 L , 1 , 9 111 38 40 13.14, 31 100 100 100 100 BRITISH POSSESSIONS. dallwaya +,tlantic & St Lawren&. Baroda&.Ccnt In Gu. 5 per oent... Do. E. ,shares... ',onalo and Laaellurui Do. Preference iuflalo,Brant&Godriel p. ot. bds. Aug. 1, 1 , 37 00. do. July 1, 18'; +O. do. Jun,. 1. 1 , I cutta.&s.Labtn. ; L. 'ApcTown W Dock ger Demerara 7 p.c. per. pf ilengai gu. . •Last Indian. Lru. 5 p. Do. do. • J Ext 0 rand Prow, of cana++, Do. Equip. Mort. Bonds 1 charge 6 per cent Do. Ist rr,++. Bonds Do. do. deferred Do. 2d Pref. Bonds Do. do. deferred Do. 3d PI ef. stock Do. do. deterred..... Do. 4th Pref. stook Do. do. deferred.-- o t.lndlaPenin.gua.sp.c. Do. GU 5 per cent Do. New g ua. 5 p. a South.of India(Lim guaranteed 5 per cent Do. 41 per cent Do it. W. of Canada Share, Do. New Do. 6 p.o. '73 with't opt. Do. 51 p. o. do. '77-8.... Indian Branch Limited nadras. guar., 5 p. o. Do. 41 p. 0. Extensior, De. 44_ _ d 0........ ' Do. Fifth Vlelb.Corp. 6 p. 0. Bnds ilelb. & Hobson's Bay. Newßrunswick& Cand; Claes A and B. --- N.Rl.C'dab po Ist 1 bth ISoinde .......... Jo. Delhi.. ...... *g . ," Do. do •• • , 1 Do. Punjaub ,1 e Jo. lndue.St. Floe) 4`. 100 (100 100 < 2 I'.o 1 100 Paid. Closing Pride. 68 60 1024 34 idle 1p 5 54 84 94 75 80 B 8 100 8) 85 103 104 104 105 21 22 83 91 70 72 61 34 66 68 56 58 53 54 47 60 30 32 28 30 103} 104 pr 4p pr 101 103 9 91 111 11 83 90 80 82 1 d 104 103 a 08 88 91 93 103 i 22 Business don 59 Ll E 5 n 84 10! 103 103d3 103 ip 103 101 15 97 , !Mt 21 COLONIAL GOVERNMENT SEC U RITIES. -- Alraish Columbia, 6 per cent., Dec. 31, 1872 100 - - -- Do. do. 1883 100 - - - ' 0 , .(i0v.6 p.c.Ja. &,J ul; - 1877-81 iuo 99 101 ICOI 4 - Do. np. c. Feb.& Aug 100 97 99 - Do. 6p. c. Mar. J; Sept 100 97 99 - Do. Ep. o. Jan.&July 101; 88 90 891 - Do. 5 Inscribed stock 100 86 89 - ape G.Hope, 6 p 0,187'6 100 .03 105 - Do.Ap & Oct. 188( 100 te6 108 - Do. 189( 100 106 108 - )o. Jan. & July. 1891 100 109 111 - ;eyion, N0v.1864, 6p' 100 102 104 • _ ..._.. ,......, ..i... 11. ail _ 11 0 , - ilauritius 6 p.ocnt.lB7 00 05 107 - Do. 187 105 •06 109 - Do. 1882 100 ;(6 108 -- Nlatal Gov. 6 per cent.; 100 104 106 - , `..13.G0v. 6 p.o.Ja.,ILJuI) i 100 98 101 -1, S.W. Gov. 5 p 3., 18, , 10) 98 100 - Do. sp. c.,lBii to lei* 100 96 97 Do. d0.,1888 d& upwdt 100 94 96 95 Ili - ;ew Zealand 6 p cent 100 105 107 - iova Scotia Gov. 6p. c - sterling, 1875. lOO 99 101 - Zueensland Gcv. 6p. a 100 104 105 1C42 I - .Aus Gov. 6 p.c.1?•68- 100 - - - Do. 176 &upward lOO 107 109 - Vic. Gov. 6 p.c. Ja.&-Jul) 100 - - 106 - Do. to ep.o.An.aoot„ i 100 106 107 1061 i _ _ --- - BRITISH MINES. ,e ambitan Consol. G3lO 1 i I - Chiverton . .... 3 6e 74 ---: , ,fiord Amalgamated - 3'2 58 ,•ver, G. Con.. (Tavist 580 600 - Drakewal!s....... . - ..041 Bassett (Mogan).- vs, 47 49 - ~ last Caradon 'A 1. , 17 18 - '., , 4 Cam 8rea........ 3.4., . 64 7 - East Grenville .. ..... 27.0. 54 6 - East Lovell - '.. W'l Russel (Tavisti, ...i3„ 5 Si 441 - ;am.&St.Aubyn(Gwen 60 5 7 4 Great Laxey, 1irn........ all 18 19 184 - ireat South Tolgus... , • 14 - J. Wheal Vor(llelbto., 4(t 334 344 33i - irenville - i evict's-Foot ,.13 15 37 - iingston Downs-- 1.18. i 4 44 -- klargaret (Cuy Lelan• i 8 9 - i arse Valley.. 4 yndv Iron Ore (Lim. 14 1} /(. - Nangi1e5......... ....... 19 18 10 - New Setun . 2t4 60 70 -- 'orth Down - North Roskear• 294 17 lty - ..wit'i tiaseel(lllo_fau 3.1(,.6 1 2 - zorth ViTtwa Crotty . 2.8 0 2 24 - Prosper United..., 7.1.6. 2 3 - !rovidenee(Cny Lelm 106.7 3 36 - iouth Caradon(St.Cleei 14 20 540 ~ NV heal Fran. (Mogan n. 15.1 85 86 - Stray Park . 1.17.4 18 20 - ein Croft . . 16 17 - West Basset (Illogan).. 14 7 9 - ,V C , radon (Liskeard 3 7 9 - West Chiver ton lO 55 N - West Sewn W• - heel Basset (Mogan 5 921 974 - wheal Buller(Redruth, 1 a i t - ThealLudcott - Wheal Mary Ann (Men , 8 1 i 3 r es - Wheal Cleton 584 195 205 - Wheal Tretawney (Lis 7 17 ip - Wheal Union 4 4 1. PREFERENCE SHARES. Great Western, 5 per cent. rd. pref., 103 i PREFERENCE SHARES AND STOCKS, Metropolitan 5 per cent., 99 FOREIGN RAILWAYS. Antwerp and Rotterdam, 913 Great Luxembourg, 12} Paris, Lyons, and Mediterranean, 34} Recite and San Francisco (Rm.), gua,, 7 per cent, lit FOREIGN MINES? _ . _ Mariquita, a Port Philip, 1f 1 BANKS. Agra and M isterman's (lim.), Ditto, new, issd at 30 pm , calls paid in advance, 64} &mance (tim.), 34i 5 Ditto, new, 3i Ditto, issued at 20 pm., of which 10 is pd., 19 British and Californian, lim.„3t British North American, 49i Chartered Bank of India, Australia, and China, 35 Colonial, lim., 431 Consolidated Bank, Um., 111 Buropean Bank, Rm., 13 - Imperial Bank (lim.), 33i Imperial Ottoman, 16i Land Mortgage Bank of India, lim., 5 London Chartered Bank of Australia, 25 London and County, fili London Joint Stook, 50 London and South-Western, Um., 22 Metropolitan and Provincial Bank, Um., 16k New South Wales, 46 Union of London, 571 DOCKS. London and St. Katharine, 72 MISCELLANEOUS. Ceylon Company, 10'r Credit l'oncier and Mobilier of England, Ditto (.£2), 5k Egyptian Com. and Trading, lim., 15} Gen. Credit and Finance of London, 11m., 7 International Financial society, lim., 7i I Joint Stock Discount,:lim.. 91 4 London Financial Association, lim., 241 London General Omnibus Company, 31 1 National Discount Company, lim., 161 Peninsula and Oriental Steam, ;8, Ditto, new, 49 8/ Societe Finarciere d Igypte, Um, 4 1 Upper:AssamTea, lira , 61■ The Seine commenced freezing on Sunday. Yes. terday (Monday), at 6 a m., the thermometer marked 9 deg. centigrade below freezing-point (15.8 Fah.), and at noon 5 deg. centig. (23 Fah). The email branch of the Seine is now frozm up, and the main branch is drifting large quantities of ice. All the basins of ornamental water in the public gardens are covered with thick ice, and skating is going on in the Tuileries, the Luxepaburg, and on apart of the lake in the Bois de Boulogne. 100 100 , 100 100 filE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 27, 1864. 0111 rt (n 1111141! sc, HER MAJESTY. OSBORNE, Dec. 26. Her Majesty the Queen, their Royal Highnesses Prineess Helena, Prince Arthur, Prince Leoputu, and his Serene Highness Prince Leningen, attended D:vine service at Whippingham Church yesterday afternoon, attended by the D3vviger Countess of Mount•Edgeutrbe, the Hon. Lucy Kerr, and Major. , G:.n,ral the Hon. A, Hood. Prince L?ningen arrived at Osborne on Saturday on a visit to her Majesty. The D ;chess (Dowager) of Grafton is not going to Cannes, as was erroneously announced. The Marquis and Marchioness of Salisbury have a small and select party staying at Hatfield House, Herts. The Earl and Countess of Lichfield are entertain ing a select family party at Shugburgh Park, Staffordshire. The Earl of Beverley, accompanied by Lady Louisa Percy, has arrived at Ditton, Torquay. The Countess Dalawarr (Baroness Buckhurst) has been detained in town from indisposition, which has prevented the noble earl and her ladyship going to Buck hurst Park for the Christmas, as was arranged, The Mar chioness of Salisbury came to town at the end of the past week to visit h3r ladyship. Baroness Biome gave birth to a son on Sunday morning, at the Hanoverian Legation in Grosvenor-place. The baroness and infant are progressing favourably. New Agitation in Ireland. The following remarkable article appears in the Irish Times of Friday 23d December " A formidable looking requisition addressed to the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor is the prelude to that new organisation for creating division among the Irish people, which the Irish Times was the first to notice and to condemn. The requisition called upon the Lord Mayor to convene an aggregate meeting to inaugurate an agitation for " the aboli tion of the Established Church," for a measure of tenant right, and for free education—whatever may be understood under those terms. The Lord Mayor signalises the last days of his office by undertaking to preside at the meeting for such objects. This agitation, however, has not even the merit of being indigenous. It is an importation from England, transferred to Irish soil by wire pullers who fear to let their names appear. It originated with the Radical Dillwyns of the House of Commons, who have by their votes emphaticaliy marked their hostility to Ireland. One of her Majesty's Secretaries of State very recently adopted the theories of the West minster Review, and urged the Chartists and Radi cals of England to join with parties believed to have influence in Ireland, and to combine for the special purpose of maintaining the Whigs in their possess sion of power. The abolition of the Established Church, the destruction of the territorial rights of landowners, the division of the people of Ireland into two hostile camps, the setting class against class and creed against creed, are the worthy means about to be adopted—that Ireland may be misgoverned as she has been. Ireland peaceful and united is thought to be dangerous. Division is the least costly, and the most effective means of keeping a nation depressed, for the strength which should be consecrated to the elevation of our common country can be employed in tearing her asunder, while character is lost and sympathy alienated by the furious, though futile acerbity of political and polemical feuds. " To the requisition is appended a long list of names, but infinitely shorter than what might reae sonably be expected. At the head of the list are the names of some who, no doubt, do possess influence in the proper sphere. The great majority of the signatures have no address attached, and this is a sufficient indication of the position of the parties. It must at once strike every one, including those who promoted the requisition, that there is not any name there of a payer of rentcharge. Yet the abo. lition of the Established Church is demanded as it all the signatories suffered grievously from that ancient charge upon property. We do not see amidst the names that of any great landed proprie tor who patriotically is ready to surrender the right of property, and to make the tenant the real owner of the soil. However influential some of the signa tories may be in their own sphere, even they must COLIN 4 a ti"ttAley have not been able to command the support of any powerful party. The public voice has already decided that the more respectable per• sons in the list are not those who should properly take the lead in a political agitation of this kind. "It is with very great regret we witness this re. vival of old organisations for the old motives. An association, formed of all classes and creeds for the advancement of cur common country and the social benefit of every man in it, would have commanded universal approval and support. But this organi sation, taken up in anticipation of the dissolution of Parliament, is but a Whig Radical artifice to de stroy the Irish vote in the omit Parliament by sowing dissension through the people, and creating several parties in the Irish representation, so that unity or unanimity on any Irish question would be impossible. Such organisations have been tried in Ireland whenever the exigencies of a ministry set their instruments at work. They ended always in breaking up the ties which should exist between the different classes of our countrymen, and gained no toriety, tsnd eventually a place for a few who had not the courage to place themselves at the head of movements, though they clutched eagerly at the sordid advantage to be gained. This organisation will be fomented, carried on, and will collapse like all the rest. It is plain, from the list of names, that the intellectual and independent Roman Ca tholic laity do not sympathise with it. These are well aware that previous associations were got up' and managed,' not for the benefit of those who were induced to take a prominent part in them, but for the advancement of a few who remained in the background at first, and only came forward when promotion was in view, to make pledges and to break them. But, by such agitations industry is paralysed, agriculture neglected, dissensions, often deadly, are excited, and Ireland is powerless. A Minister may smile in derision upon all efforts to raise Ireland to the posi tion she has a right to enjoy, when he beholds one-half of the people arrayed in religious feud against the other. " The aggregate meeting is declared to be open to the citizens of Dublin and others. It would be an easy thing to collect a vast number of persons who are opposed to the objects of the movement to express their dissent and opposition to the proceed ings. Such a course has actually been proposed ; but we would earnestly recommend all dissentients to stand aloof from the proceedings, and let the agitation and excitement be confined to those who find pleasure in them. The resolutions passed at a meeting got up as this has been can have no possi ble influence or weight to further the objets desired by the requisition. It would be a very false step indeed to take notice of the meeting by attending, or recognising the platform ab the suitable place to discuss the abolition of the church or the destruction of the rights of property.' The Gloucester Journal con tuins the following let ter from Lord Fitzhardinge :—" To the Gentlemen .nd Farmers Residing within the Limits of the Country Hunted by Lord Filzhardinge.—Berkeley Castle, Dec. 22, 1864.—Gentlemen,—The Rev. Sir E. Colt has a small farm surrounded by my fox coverts; his tenant, James Cox, of Wandsell, has shot several foxes lately and avews that he will destroy every fcx that he can get at, and the small covert belonging to Sir E. Colt is full of trays set for the hounds. I have done all I pos sibly can to induce the rev. baronet to interfere to prevent his tenant from adopting such a selfish pro ceeding. He will not state his grievance, neglects to answer my letters, and ends by writing so discourteously that further attempts at conciliation on my part are pre• eluded. Under these circumstances I shall be forced to give up the country, unless by your united endeavours you can induce the rev. baronet to prevent the said James Cox from pursuing this unneighbourly and selfish course of proceeding. I will ask the favour of all hunting gentle men and farmers, within the limits of my hunting country, to meet here and discuss this affair on Thursday, the 29th of this month, at eleven o'clock. The hounds will meet at twelve o'clock on that day, in the Castle meadow.—Yours truly, FITZHARDINGE:I, POLICE INTELLIGENCE.--This Day. MARLBOROUGH-STREET. BOXING-DAY DISORDERLIES,—A number of persons of both sexes, as usual on the morning after Boxing-day, were brought before Mr Tyrwhitt charged with drunkenness and disorderly conduct. The magistrate, making a little allow ance for the occasion, discharged most of the defendants, and in other cases imposed light fines. Some of the de fendants were charged with assaults, the only noticeable case being that of William Coslett, a letter carrier, and John Robinson, no occupation, who were charged with assaulting police-constables 126 and 143 C. The defendant Robinson wont into an oyster shop in Dorset-place, Pall mall, and behaved in a very unruly manner. He struck and spat in a constable's face, and then Coslett came up and interfered on behalf of Robinson. Mr Tyrwhitt committed Robinson to prison without a fine, and fined Coslett ss. On the whole, the charges of drunkenness were less numoraus this year than for some years past. COMUITTAL WITHOUT A FINE FOR AN ASSAULT.—Wm Crowdy, a tailor, was charged before Mr Tyrwhitt with violently assaulting Sergeant Cole, 23 C. The Sergeant said that between 8 and 9 o'clock the pre vious evening he was called to the Red Lion public-house King-street, Regent-street, by the landlord, in consequence of there being a fight going on between some tailors. Ho assisted in clearing the house, and separated the prisoner and another man who were fighting together, the prisoner being very violent, and saying that if he bad his scissors he would put them into the man he had been fighting with. He persuaded the prisoner to go away, and he pretended to do so, but ran after the man and struck him in the eye. He (the Sergeant) then took the prisoner into custody, when he gave him (the Sergeant) a severe kick in the groin, causing him great pain and sickness all night. Two persons having come to his assistance, he succeeded in getting the prisoner to the station, on the way receiving severe kicks. Mr Tyrwhitt committed the prisoner for a month with hard labour. THAMES. WITCH STEALING AND WINDOW BREAKING.—Mary Jane Webb, a young woman, the wife of a mechanic, was brought before Mr Partridge charged with wilfully and maliciously breaking five panes of glass in the house, Nc. 6, Randall-street, Poplar. Anne Harris, a single woman, stated that she lived with her sister at No 6, Randall-street. Yesterday at 12 o'clock she went ta a drawer and wound up her gold watch. Two hours afterwards she wanted to use her watch, in fact, she intended to wear it. On going to the drawer where she had left the watch it was g , ne. She charged how sister and the prisoner with stealing, and threatened to give both into custody if it was not forthcoming. The prisoner said she had never taken the watch. In the course of the day the prisoner went out, and her husband followed her and said, "My dear, allow me to put a pin in your shawl, it is open, and you will catch cold." The ruse succeeded, and while the prisoner's husband was pretending to adjust her shawl, he took from her bosom the missing geld watch and chain. Mr Partridge—She is oharged on the police-sheet with breaking windows. Witness—Yes, she broke my sister's windows last night. We forgave her the robbery. We don't prosecute her for that. Several witnesses deposed that the prisoner was drunk, and smashed five panes of glass. The prisoner—l did break the glass. Mr Partridge ordered the prisoner to pay for tha damase she had done, and a small fine, or be committed to prison for a month. THE SPIRIT OF NELSON.—A letter has fallen in our way in which a very young officer of the Royal navy, writing from Malta, describes to his father the circum stances of a recent melancholy accident which cost the country the lives of 12 brave officers and seamen belonging to her Majesty's ship Orlando. The circumstances strike us as so very interesting, simply related, and we have been so moved by the heroic spirit of one " little midshipman." whose name we preserve, in tho hope that this record may one day be perused with pride by relatives of the, gallant boy, that we publish the account :—" I have heard the par ticulars of that most deplorable accident, and, as I dare say you would like to hear them too, I will tell you all that are known. In the first place I should tell you that the Bay of Tunis is an awful place for squalls. The party started one morning (it was the 3d of November), at about 8 o'clock, for a shooting and pleasure excursion about 20 miles down the coast. Lieut. S. was the senior officer there, and he to a certain extent took charge of, or was responsible for, the boat in which they went. It was remarked that they were very gloomy on leaving the ship, and also that when they left the band was playing some selection which was a little sad ; upon which Lieutenant S. remarked,' I wish they wouldn't play a Dead March for us 1' And again, going ashore, one of the men sang ' The Sailor's Grave,' and other songs of that kind. They got ashore all right, had lunch ashore, and started for the ship at about half-past 3 o'clock. When they had made about 800 or 1.000 yards (according to the cox swain of tho boat, who was saved), a violent squall struck her, and capsized her. They all managed to cling to the beat, except the captain of marines, who couldn't swim. He was seen some way off, when a little midshipman—the youngest in the ship, and who could swim very well indeed— struck out and brought him to the boat. It is worthy of men tion that the only members of the party who could swim were the coxswain, an old quastermaster, Kemble. the little midshipman I have mentioned, and a master's assistant. The coxswain, seeing that the boat was drifting out to sea, said they had better do something, and suggested several things, but they would not adopt any of them, except en deavour to right the boat—This they could uof do. lie then proposed lashing the oars together, and those who could swim, towing those who could not. This being also rejected, he then made up his mind to swim ashore, and started in his clothes. Lieutenant S. called him back ; upon which he came back, and received orders to stick to the boat. He then said, Well, sir, it's no use of my stop , ping here. I am very sorry to have to disobey your orders, and I trust I shall be forgiven.' He then turned round to the little midshipman and said, Mr Kemble, will you come with me ? I will assist you if you find you can't manage it.' Kemble said (though, as I have told you, he could swim splendidly), have orders to re main here, and it is my duty to set an example,' and he re peated the orders. The coxswain then asked all those who could swim if they would come, and they all answered in the same way. Was not that a gallant thing, to stay be hind when they were otherwise sure of saving their own lives, and all for the sake of being true to the orders they had received particularly, remembering that the example was set by the smallest midshipman in the ship ? The coxswain then wished them good-by, and succeeded in getting ashore, but of course he must have had a frightful night, as it came on to blow very hard, and he had not a single thing on; in fact, when he was picked up next morning he was in a sort of delirious state. He said afterwards that he heard them, or fancied he heard them, all night, shouting for help; but he could not assist them, as the place he landed at was uninhabited. A long search was made for the bodies, without effect ; but a steamer coming in afterwards, without having heard of the accident, reported having seen a body floating, at a distance of, I should imagine, about 40 miles from where the accident took place.—Dickens's "All the Year Round." THE YELTERTON MARRIAGE CASE.—Our readers will remember that, a few weeks ago, the indomit. able Mrs (Longworth) Yelverton attempted to re-open the whole question of her marriage before the Scotch courts, on the strength of some affidavits, which certified that a woman named Sarah Mullins or Mullins, who attended the major's brother in his last illness had heard this brother declare that the major confessed to him his Scotch marriage with Mrs Longworth was a genuine and valid marriage. The Courts refused the application, but the friends of the major have now produced counter-affidavits, signed by the Hon. Mrs Yelverton's coachman, Lord Avonmore's butler, Lady Avonmore's maid, and the medical attendant of the family—all deposing that they were in daily attend• ance on Mr Yelverton during his last illness, and that, to their certain knowledge, there was no woman of the name of Mullins in attendance on him, nor any female whatever, except his mother, wife, and sister. A MISSING VESSEL.—We are very much afraid that all hopes must now be abandoned of the good ship ever arriving. She left Melbourne on the 16th of July, and has, therefore, now been at sea more than 160 days, and has never been spoken with since she left port. There have been some terrible hurricanes in southern lati tudes, but the other vessels from the Australian colonies appear to have experienced nothing beyond ordinary casualties• Fire or collision with an iceberg may probably have befallen the J.E.H., which had on board the follow , - ine passengers :—Miss Lever, Miss Bartrop, Mrs Carter, tso children and servant, Dr Starling, Mr H. 0. Walker, Mr Boase, and Mr Motherwell in the cabin, besides two passengers in the steerage. She had a valuable cargo, in cluding 10,9200 z of gold, 740 bales wool, 629 casks tallow, 13,263 hides, 134 bales leather, 751 packages skins, 28,870 horns, 28 tons bones, 126 bales rags, 69 bags bark, 50 bales pelts, quantity of hoofs, 4 packages private effects, 2 cases glassware, 2 cases slate, 3 cases and 40 bundles .tell, and 3 cases hardware.—Australian and New Zealand Gazette. Lord and Lady Tredegar are entertaining a select party at Tredegar House, Monmouthshire, during the fes tive season. Lord Seaton left Shrubland Hall, Ipswich, the seat of Sir G. B. Middleton, last week, for Devonshire. The Sultan has conferred on Signor Fagnani the commandership of the Order of the Medjidieb, as token of his satisfaction for the portrait of his High ness, executed by that excellent artist, who is about to leave Paris on a professional excursion to the United States. PLANTING OF A TREE BY LADY PENNEFATTIER AT ALDERSUOT.—On Thursday forenoon Lady Pennefather performed the interesting ceremony of planting a young tree of the conifer species, known as the " Welliugtonia gigantea," in the grounds of All Saints Military Church, Aldershot. Her ladyship was accompanied by Lieut.-Gen. Sir J. L. Pennefather. Major-Gen. Bates, and several officers of ihe staff. After the ceremony had been duly per formed, Sir John thanked Mr Waterer, of Bagahot ours sery. the donor of the tree, and the proceedings were cc n eluded. Institution of Civil Engineers. The annual meeting of this institution—Mr John Fowler, vice-president, in the chair, was held on Wednesday. In presenting an account of the proceedings during the past 12 months, the council reported that the charaoteristio feature of study, progressive development, was never more folly exemplified, in any similar period, since the first establishment of the institution. The meetings had proved very attractive, the discussion had been well sus tained, the library was fast becoming rich in all professional and scientific works of this and other countries, the num ber of members and associates had greatly increased, and the financial condition was very satisfactory. The im portance to engineers of being connected with the in stitution was felt more and more every day ; and although the time had not arrived when it was considered imperative for every one practising the pro fession to have received the diploma of the institution, yet in general opinion it might fairly be said that that position had been attained. On these grounds, there fore, it was more than ever essential that the quali fications of all candidates for admission should be most scrupulously examined; and that the members should 'satisfy themselves, before signing any proposition paper, that the preen so recommended, poesassed such character, practice, and experience, as to entitle him to the distinction he sought. There had been 23 ordinary general meetings during the session, when 11 pipers had been read, many of the evenings having been entirely occupied by discus sions. The communications related to the details of erection of three lighthouses for facilitating the navigation of the northern portion of the Red Sea; to the causes of the de e ine in the duty of Cornish pumping engines; to the cir cumstanc2s which determined the velocities of influx and reflux, ant consequent scour, at; endant on the final closing of embankments for reclaiming land from the sea, or from a tideway ; to a description of the features of, and changes in, that pertion of the et- et coast of England between the Thames end the Wash Estuaries; to the setae' state of the works in the Mont Coils Tunnel, perhaps the most important and interesting work of civil engineering in the present day; b an inquiry into the resistences to bcdies passing through water; to the Santiago end Val paraiso Railway; to the structure of locoieotive engines, for ascending steep gradients, when in combination with sharp cut yes . , end to the impedimental friction between wheel tires and rails to the distillation of coal and the manufac ture of coke; and to the machinery employed in sinking artesian wells on the continent. With regard to the publi cation of the minutes of proceedings, it was stated that volumes xxi. and xxii. would shortly be issued, and that the general index to the series of volumes from i. to xx, inclu sive, in itself a volume of about 400 pages, was also nearly ready, A new edition of the catalogue of the library was in preparatior, in continuation of that issued in 1851, now out of print. At that date the library contained upwards of 3,000 volumes and 1,500 tracts; now the collection amounted to about 5,500 volumes and 3.000 tracts. The tabular statement of the transfers, elections, deceases, and resignations, showed that the number of elections had been 93, of deceases 25, of resignations 6, and of erasures 7, leay. log an effective increase of 53, and making the total number of members of all classes on the books on Nov. 30 last 1,095 This was an increase of nearly 5.3 per cent, in the past 12 months. The deceased announced during the last year had been—Francis Baird, Thomas Bartlett, John G. Bodmer, Thomas Casebourne, Charles Dean, Joseph Gibbs, George Hur wood, James Jones, Rhys Win. Jones, Edward Oliver Manby, George Meredith, George M. Miller, Win. C. Mylnc, Richard Roberts, Wm, Simpson, and Adam Smith, members; John S. Atkinson, Wm. Bagman, Fredk. Law rence, Wm. Llewellin, Thomas T. Mitchell, Robert Ran some, Charles Fredk. Stuart Smith, Alfred Thompson, and Arthur Wightmen, associates. This list included the names of many very old members, several of whom had been en gaged under the first president, Telford, as well as one of the six founders of the institution—Mr James Jones—who in its early day acted as secretary, and whose death, at au ad vanced age, was the result of a lamentable accident. The abstract of the receipts and expenditure for the year ending the 30th of November last, as prepared by the auditors, showed that the payments during the 12 months had amounted to £2,955, against receipts from all sources of £4,414; and that the amount obtained from subscriptions and fees alone, without including the dividends upon in vestments, and the sums derived from other sources, had exceeded the disbursements by about £450. The council had therefore been again enabled to add to the institution fund by the purchase of £1,200 4 per cent. debenture stook of the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway Com pany. On comparing this statement of accounts with the average of the previous 10 years, it appeared that the total income now exceeded that average by nearly 40 per cent., while the inrease in the disbursements during the same period had been less than 20 per cent. The realised pro perty of the institution now comprised :-1. General funds £10,819 12s 10d; 2. Building fund, £1,751 Os ld ; and 3. Trust funds, £9,970 12a 7d, making a total of £22,541 58 Bd, as against £20,649 163 2d at the same period last year. The propriety of establishing a benevolent fund in connec tion with the profession received the serious consideration of the council before any steps were taken to ascertain the views of the members generally. It was well pointed out by Mr F. J. Bramwell (M. Inst. C.E.), with whom the present proposal originated, that in must, if not in all, other professions and occupations there was a regularly organised system for the aid of de cayed members when in necessitous circumstances ; and that, es the civil engineers already formed a numerous and increasing body, in some respects more liable to those mis fortunes and vicissitudes which were known by experience to overtake thou following other pursuits, it was incumbent on the prorissiou unit, sums I:LULLULL taken in reference to soliciting subscriptions for individual cases, now unfortunately found to be frequently requisite. Private inquiries among a few of the members of the insti tution having shown that such a fund, if properly managed and adequately supported, could not fail to be productive of immense good,. it was determined to appeal to the ges neral body, and the result had been such a response as fully to justify the course which had been pursued. Al ready from 224 contributors donations to the amount of £21,884, and annual subscriptions to the extent of £lB7 had been promised. Of these contributors 97 were donors only, 14 were both donors and annual subscribers, and 113 were annual subscribers. At the meeting recently held in the rooms of the institution the fund was formally established, and that portion of the general committee, which it was recommended should be elected by the contributors was appointed. At the same time the com mittee was requested to prepare a scheme, with bye-laws and rules, far the administration of the fund, and to report the resutt of their deliberations to a general meeting of the contributors, to be summoned for Jan. 17 next, The coun cil would not venture t anticipate what might be the issue of the considerations of the committee; but they felt assured that a measure so calculated to enhance the character of the profession would be cordially supported, and on every ground they commended it to the most favourable notice of the members. It should be the constant endeavour to make the institution the depository of the accumulated know., ledge of all the members, and all should strive so to sustain and consolidate the institution that it might continue truly and faithfully to represent the important interests committed to the care of the;civil en gineer. After the reading of the report a Telford medal and a Telford premium of books were presented to Mr W. Lloyd ; a Telford medal to M. Pernolet ; a Telford medal and the Manby premium, in books to Mr G. H. Phipps; Telford premiums of books to Messrs. J. B. Redman, W. Parkes, T. Sopwith, jun., J. M, Heppel, and G. R. Burnell; and Watt medals to Messrs. I'. Sopwith, jun., W. Bridges Adams, and J. Cross. The thanks of the institution were unanimously voted to the president for his attention to the duties of his office ; to the vice-presidents and the other members and associates of council for their co-operation with the president, and their constant attendance at their meetings; to Mr. F. J. Bramwell, as the originator of the present movement for the establishment of a benevolent fund in connection with the profession to Mr Charles Manby, honorary secretary, and to Mr James Forrest, secretary, for the manner in which they had performed the duties of their offices; as also to the auditors of the accounts, and the scrutineers of the WM for their services. The following gentlemen were elected to fill the several offices on the council for the ensuing year :—John R. M'Clean, president; J. Fowler, C. H. Gregory, T. Hawk , sley, and J. S. Russell, vice-presidents ; Sir William Arm strong, W. H. Barlow, N. Beardmore, J. Cubitt, T. E. Harrison, G. W. Hemans, J. Murray, G. R. Stephenson- C. Tignoles, and J. Whitworth, members ; and John Aire', jun., and A. Ogilvie, associates. The meeting was then adjourned until Tuesday, Jan. 10, when the monthly ballot for members would take place, and the discussion would be resumed upon Mt J. Taylor's paper on " The river Tees." A MESSAGE FROM THE SEA.—On Friday evening last, while Mrs Bentley Foster, of Filey, was walk ing on the sands, she perceived a small parcel being washed up by the tide, which, on being taken up, proved to be a bottle wrapped up in a piece of silk, and tightly corked. When broken it was found to contain half a sheet of note paper, upon which was well written as follows :—" Ship Louisa, off Deal, November 29, 1864. A merry Christmas and a happy New Year to all our friends in England, from a party of emigrants to Auckland, New Zealand." SERVICES OF THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE LIFE BOAT.--A violent gale of wind from the south east visited the bay of Port Elizabeth, Cale of Good Hope, on the 18th of October last. An excellent lifeboat, built four years since in London under the superintendence of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, was fortunately stationed at the port. Tho sea at the time was very high, and the bay was quite white with foam. The barque Bal larat, of Port Elizabeth, was observed during the night to drift ashore on the Bight. gfforts were made to rescue the crew by an open boat, but unhappily when near the wreck the steer-oar broke, and a sea striking the boat she was cap• sized end over end, and three of her brave crew were drowned. The Sailors' Friend lifeboat afterwards went off, and succeeded in saving the whole of the wreck's crew. 47i 8i 1161 17 1051 1201 11 98 7 I'2l 14 40t 1141 14 104, i 444 5 864 1 BANK OF FRANCE. The following is the return of the Bank of France for the week, together with the corresponding figures of the previous account : Dec. 22. Dec. 15. Dn. f, c. f. C. Capital of the Bank 182,500,000 182,500,000 Profits in addition toCapital (Art. 8 law June 9,1857) 6,912,460 91 6,893,059 36 Reserve in the Bank and its branches Reserve in landed property 4,000,000 4,000,003 Notes in circulation 721,457,475 739,383,125 Bank notes to order and re ceipts payable at sight 5,774,783 36 5,432,012 87 Treasury sec. cur. credit0r103,359,256 06 93,094,132 63 Current accounts—Paris —136,089,007 48 140,571,991 44 Do. branch-banks Dividends payable Discounts and sundry interests.. Re-discoun: . 3 of the last six months 2,588,735 17 2,588,735 17 Sundries 1,237,991,159 61 1,250,055,301 22 CR. Cash in hand and branch banks Commercial bills overdue 708,763 66 558,808 39 Commercial bills discounted ____ not yet due . . Do. branch-banks.... 287,085,185 285,314,504 Advances on deposits of bullion ... . Do. branch•banks.... 4,869,184 4,91;0,210 Advances on Frenchpublic securities . . Do, branch-banks 7,595,550 7,928,050 Ad vancesonrailway shares and • debentureq Do. branch-banks 16,787,150 17,1,72,450 Advances on Credit Fon cier Bonds 548,500 543.300 Do. branch-banks Advances to the State (Conven. June 10,.1857) 60,000,000 60,000,000 Govt. Stock Reserve Do. disposable Rentes immobilisees (Law June 9, 1857) 100,0.,00,000 - 100,000,000 Hotel and furniture of the i • Bank Landed property, branches Expenses of management 2,849,239 24 2,488,973 49 Sundries 1,237,984,151 61 1,250,055,301 22 Certified, the Senator-Governor of the Bank of France. (Signed) ROULAND. Railway Traffic Returns for the Week Miles Opened. Receipts. Railways. ..-_____Thi,_-_./....7.-., 1864. 1863. 1864. 1863. £ Z Belfast and N. Counties 136 136 LOCI 2.140 Belfast and County Down 49 49 670 642 Blyth and Tyne 2O 13 1,951 1,255 Bristol and Exeter l2l} 121} 6,387 6,324 Caledonian 284 262 i 19,0.9 17,768 Cambrian Cockermouth& Workington 8 si 311 257 Cork and Bandon 2O 20 326 352 Cork, Blackrock, & Passage... 324 27 110 129 Cork and Youghal 6} 6} 3 7 4 879 Cornwall ... 6s} 654 1,431 1.350 Deeside l7 17 298 218 Dublin & Belfast Junction 63 63 1,329 1,441 Dublin and Drogheda 75 75 1,570 1.691 Dublin and Meath Dub. & Wicklow and Wextd 9l} 91 i 2,155 2,07 s l urness, &c 5O 5) 2,983 2,826 Glasgow & South-Western Gt. Eastern,Nrfk.,&E.Union Great Northern 387 353 33,362 33,262 Great North of Scotland 5B 58 1,625 1.336 (it. Northn. & Westn. (Irel.) 7ll 711 446 550 'lt.Southn. & Westn.(lrind.) 387 373} 7,530 7,774 Great Western 1224 1169 64,975 61,039 Hull and Hornsea l3 - 96 - Inverness & Aberdeen June 1174 1063 1,248 1,036 Inverness & Perth Junction 119} 119} 3,431 1,093 Irish North-Western 145 145 1,601 1,692 Kent Coast 27 27 790 233 Lancashire & Yorkshire 403 103 34,240 35,624 Limerick and Ennis... 244 2 4 4 1 5 5 154 Limerick and Foynes 261 264 163 134 Llanelly 461 461 502 495 Llynvi Valley London & North-Western London and Blackwall 5 61 1,7 0 9 1,632 London & South-Western Lond. Brighton, &S. Coast 2674 2611 16,530 15,854 London, Chatham, & Dover 724 72} 4,718 4,713 Do. Metropolitan Extension 114 104 1,200 875 Lon., Tilbury, & Southend Man.,Sheffield,& Lincolnsh Manch. S.Jun.&Altrincham 9} 9} 1,297 1,231 Nlaryport and Carlisle Metropolitan Midland (incl. N.-Western) 6514 641 46,420 42,428 Midland Gt.Westn. of hind- 262 2594 4,562 4,652 Ilonkland 714 715 1,641 1,687 Monmouthsh. Rail. & Canal 44 44 2,966 2,675 North British, Edin., Perth and Dundee N-Eastern and Stock. & Darl 1095 1095 59,355 54,938 North London 9 9 3, /46 3,060 North Staffordshire 254 256 8,513 8,833 Rhymney 194 95 966 950 A woman named Wittes, residing at Hazebronek (Nord), was some weeks since bitten by a dog, but as the wound was three times deeply cauterized and every other attention paid no fatal effects were anticipated. Those hopes have, however, been disappointed, for last week the poison which had remained dormant in her blood suddenly showed itself, and in three days after she expired after dreadful suffering. BOXING-DAY.—The appearance yesterday of the London streets and those in the suburbs afforded evidence that Boxing-day was honoured with its wanted festivities. At every turn a stoppage of business was indi. cated by closed shutters, to which were affixed the notifica tion of " Will not open on Monday." The early onsnibusses from the outskirts were shorn of city clerks proceeding to business, and who make up the ellotted 12 on the "knife board," and the morn soloot " 13 inaide 7," but vzhana atnttaa. ment was to be found the holiday makers appeared to wend their way—one and all betraying a resolution thoroughly to enjoy themselves. At the grand dinner given at the Hotel de Ville last week to the Municipal Council by the Prefect of the Seine, the table was decorated with the splendid surtout, the principal portion of which, the epergne, figured at the London Exhibition in 1862. The city of Paris is represented as a female seated on a shield sapported by art, commeace, science, and industry. This group occupies the centre of a barque commanded by the Genius of Progess with Prudence at the helm. The figures, nearly five feet high, were executed from the models of M. Diebollet. The sea-horses which precede and follow are by M. Rouil lard ; the Tritons by MM. Mathurin Moreau and Crepy. On each side of this aro groups representing Summer and Winter, Autumn and Spring. At the end of the table are figures representing the Sein e and Marne surrounded by children holding fruit, fish, objects of art, 80. Two children are backed against the candelabra, which are lofty, and each holds 20 tapers. This surtout was exe cuted by Messrs Christofie and Co. from the dens of M Baltard, of the Institute, and, though not quite completed, has already cost 365,000 fr. The Debats publishes a letter from M. Feuillet de Conches, editor of the Correspondence of Queen Marie Antoinette, in which the writer states that a disco very has recently been made in the private library of the Emperor of Austria of a series et letters between Marie Theresa and her daughter Marie Antoinette, from the mar riage of the latter to the death of the Empress. There are 94 letters, of which 30 of the originals have been found, but the copies of the others are being fully authenticated. The letter adds that M. Arnetb, member of the States of Aus tria and Deputy Conservator of the Imperial Archives, is about to publish those letters. The lunatic asylums of Charenton and Bicetre being found insufficient both in size and arrange. ments for the wants of the present day, the City of Paris is about to have a very large establishment built on a pro perty they have bought about 15 miles from Paris, on the Orleans Railway, According to the plans and estimates, the expense will amount to 15 millions. There is to be an immense park, chalets, gardens, workshops, &o, The barges and small craft lying in the S3ine have been removed to the basin at the Place de la Bastille, the Canal St. Martin, the gare of Grenelle, and to to the arm of the river to the north of the Isle St. Louis, in order that they should not receive injury from the masses of ice which are expected to come floating down. The Seine freezes at 16 degrees Fahrenheit, and becomes fixed at 10i. The bulletin of the Paris Observatory gives the following as the atmospheric state of Europe yes terday :—" On the north of France the sky, which for seve ral days past remained cloudy, at length became clearer, and this morning the temperature is very low. At Paris on Saturday night the thermometer fell to seven degrees below zero Centigrade (20 Fahrenheit). The baro meter continues very high on England, and is again rising on Spain and the Mediterranean. In Russia the pressure is slowly diminishing, and the winds remain from the W. under the influence of a storm, the centre of which appears to be on the N.W. of St. Petersburg." M. Mathieu (de la Drome) has addressed to all the journals a long letter in which he quotes various accounts of tempests and disasters at sea between the 26th Novem ber and the 3d inst., in conformity with his predictions. M. Gaillard, printer at Asnieres, has just met with his death by suffocation from an open charcoal stove which he had imprudently lighted in his bedroom. The Imperial Court has just heard an appeal from a judgment of the Civil Tribunal in an action brought by Viscount Lemercier, as president of the council admi nistering the temporalities of the church of St. Thomas d'Aquin, against the heirs of the late Abbe Lauriohesse, first vicar of the parish, to recover the sum of 24 , 000 francs, the proceeds of donations from the parishioners intended for the rebuilding or en larging the parsonage house. At the abbe's decease a paper was found in a cupboard of the vestry appropriated to his use,.signed by a person named Morel, acknowledging that the latter held 24,000 fr, confided to him by tho abbe, for which he was to pay 5 per cent. intereet. The abbe's heirs claimed this money, and alleged that the church had no right to it, as it had not been legally authorised tr receive donations. Viscount Lemercier then instituted an action to recover the money, and a judgment was given in his favour. The abbe nuw appealed, but the Imperial Court decided that no authorisation was necessary to receive such donations, that the abbe and his heirs were responsible for the amount, and it consequently confirmed the judgment purely and simply. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE 1. ,..-. RACING FIXTURES FOR 1865. JANUARY. _ _ Manchester .. 2 FEBRUARY. Lincoln spring .... 21 1 Nottingham Spring .... 28 MARCH. Derby Spring . 2 Liverpool Spring Shrewsbury Spring Doncaster Spring .. 14 Warwick Spring ...... 21 Chelmsford Spring .... 28 IL. AP. Northampton 4 Croxton Park 7 Durham l7 Newmarket Craven Newmarket Ist Spring l' Chester York Spring ... Catterick Bridge ...... 19 Thirsk ................ 21 Epsom Spring ..... 25 Salisbury Bath ....... . 18 23 Epsom 6ummer 30 Epsom Summer (con.) 1 Manchester......., 7 Ascot Alexandra Park 2O i Hampton Newton Newcastle Worcester Summer 'LY. Newmarket July Carlisle Pontefract Nottingham Summer . • 18 Chesterfield 2l Good wood . 2,5 AUG Huntingdon Reading Egham Oxford York August 22 SEPTI Weymouth (continued) 1 Leicester 7 Doncaster Brecon IPlymouth .......... .. 24 Lichfie:d I Devon and Exeter, .... '„0 Derby Summer ....... .. 30 Weymouth •.•.•., 731 :MBER. OCT , Northallerton 5 Newmarket Second Oct 9 Richmond Monmouth .... • • ...... 21 Manchester Autrmin .. 22 Newmarket Ist 'October.. 26 'OBER Newmarket Boughton.. !13 Worcester Autumn .... 31 NOVEMBER. Worcester Autumn (continued) 1 Now ready, G. SHELTON'S Derby Guide, is. G. It. Glenie, Sporting Library, Connaught-terrace, Hyde - park ; Sunday Times Office,' Fleet-street; and all agents. Locx.ET's Derby Analysis at a glance shows what tl',o field for the Blue Riband will be selected from ; and tains also selections for all the great three-year-old conte s t s , selections fcr Manchester meeting, Waterloo Cup, 8, 7 , e , Price one shilling; had from Sunday Times office, and all the usual agents, or from E. Locket, Box L 2, Manchester, and G. H. Glenie, Connaught-terrace, Hyde-park. MARKETS—This Day. HAY MARKETS. The hay markets are closed to-day. COLONIAL, The markets are closed for the Christmas holidays, but business will be resumed on Tuesday, 3d January, 1E65, The Question of the Duchies, The Constitutionnel publishes the following letter, dated Frankfort, 25th December : According to the best informed German journals, the substance of the actual position of the affairs of the Duchiee is as follows :—On the sth of November the Vienna Cabinet proposed to the Berlin Cabinet to take as a starting point of the negotiation in the question of the Duchies the text of the declaration of the 28th of May at the London Confe, rence—the Duchies separated from Denmark, and united under the sovereignty of the hereditary Prince of Augus tenburg. The Cabinet of Berlin replied, on the 17th of this month, proposing the following conditions to the Vienna Cabinet : Incorporation of Lauenburg with Prussia ; estab lishment of a sort of Prussian suzaainty in the Duchies; a military and maritime convention ; in other terms, aban donment to Prussia of the naval ports of the Duchies and of the superior command of the fleet and of the army of Schleswig-Holstein; right of protection over the Baltic Canal to the North Sea ; in short, reserve in her favour of everything which would assure to her the high hand in the direction of the affairs of the Duchies• At the commencement of the negotiations the Duke of Augustenberg intimated that he was willing to accept the propositions which Austria and Prussia might deem it ad visable to submit to him. The agents of the Prince did not hesitate to declare that they counted upon Austria to prevent M. de Bismarck from making too hard conditions. If it was simply the wish of Austria to prevent the incorporation pure a simple:with Prussia, it is probabl that she has already succeeded. But it remains to be seen how far she is disposed to admit an indirect annexation of the Duchies to that State, and to allow the Duke of Augus tenburg to be made simply a Prussian Governor. Prussia is endeavouring as hard as she can to assume in the North of Germany a position which Austria with agree meat with the Secondary States, has always opposed. In this state:of affairs it may be asked what benefits are to fall to Austria for her campaign in Schleswig-Holstein. Letters for the United States of Colombia, or Central America; altered scale or weight.— On the Ist of January next, and thenceforward, the scale of progression for charging letters addressed to the United States of Colombia, or to any of the States of Central America, via Panama, sent by packet, will be modified by substituting for the existing scale a scale of weight having half-an-ounce as a unit; the postage advancing by single ratea for each additional half-ounce or fraction of half-an , ounce.—By command of the Postmaster-General,— General Post-office, Deo. 26, 1864. THE SHERIFF OF SOUTHAMPTON IN A FIX, The Hampshire Independent states that Sheriff Emanuel, of Southampton, had determined this year to go beyond the generosity usual on the occasion among the holders of that office in Southampton—the provision of abundant good cheer for the debtors in the prison. He had deter mined to pay the debts for which they were imprisoned, thus setting them tree. Unfortunately his intentions too soon became known, and an amusing result was the con sequence. The custom prevails in the county court, where the greater proportion of the business tran sacted consists of plaints preferred by tallymen, of granting warrants of commitment of defendants for limited periods on the hearing of summons after judgment, but to suspend their execution during the pleasure of the plaintiffs, in order to give the poor debtors an opportunity of meeting the demands upon them. Mr Emanuel's generous offer at once presented to this large class of plaintiffs a capital opportunity for col ' lection of hitherto considered bad debts, whilst to those who did not reel disposed from thefr own resources to discharge their liabilities as easy method was thus provided by which they may be relieved from future claims. The county court bailiffs found that they were all at once called upon to do a thriving and unexpected trade, and on Friday the arrivals in the debtors' ward of the prison were so numerous as to call the attention el the officials to the circumstance, and. Mr Emanuel was at once communicated with, in order to prevent his being victimised in the way which was intended by the abuse of his good intentions in such a cunning but scandalous manner. The worthy sheriff proceeded to the gaol, and there a numerous group of county court debtors met his view. " And who put you here ?" he said to one. The answer was, " A tallyman." "And who you ?" he asked a second. The same reply, " A tallyman." o a third he addressed himself in a similar manner, and was once more told, tallyman." The trick was now tully exposed, but Mr Emanuel nevertheless determined that, though his original intentions must be abandoned, they should have a good dinner, and inquired for how many he should provide. " Oh," said the official, " the county-court bailiff told us there would be at least another dozen to-morrow," and a female could not help venting her wrath at the detection of the trick by exclaiming, "Why, I shouldn't have come here but that I thought you were going to pay the debt for me, and I should get out free." 'We need hardly add that the sheriff departed with his mind a little enlightened as to the frailities of human nature, but notwithstanding the imposition attempted to be practised upon him he does not forget that it is Christmas time, and he charitably ordered a bountiful dinner for as many who, under such extraordinary circumstances, hap* pened to be in the debtors' ward to partake of it. The French Minister of Public Instruction has just addressed to the rectors under his authority a circular in which he suggests that great advantages may be derived, and the public wealth increased, by the introduction of additional fruit trees, vege• tables, and plants into the plots of ground which are attached to the 27,000 normal schools of France for the instruction of the pupils in gardening and the moat improved methods of agricultural cultiva. tion. The Minister announces that with that view he has concerted with the Minister of Agriculture, who has ordered the inspectors in this department to visit such schools as may be on their way and gi l to the masters whatever counsels may be necessary, sending in a report on the general situation. A man named Pillar, the keeper of a cafe in the Rue Aumaire, was tried on Saturday by the Tribunal of Correctional Police on a charge of allowing gaming in his establishment. The defendant's house being in a populous quarter, was frequented by great numbers of artizans, merchants' clerks, and shopmen, many of whom frequently lost their whole weekly earnings there, and his customers had greatly increasedwithin the last year atter the police bad enclosed two other houses in the same neigbourhood. Numerous witnesse were examined, who deposed that they had lost considerable sums in d c : g f u e r n a da e n d t's house; one of th em as much en 7,000 f. at dif ferent times, It was clearly p roved that the defen dant en gambling, and often head tho stakes, which some tiems were S 9 high as 500 f. It appeared' however, that his r p e r t o r fi e s ts h were ln e n t s c , h a i e t fly extravagantderived from r etch:.The sale of e ve e r n y d a indifferent that he had ever encouraged gambling, but as the evidence charges clearly fullyproved t a t h b l e i h e c o d n a r a n r d y e , n t h d e e m i n t e i b d u h n i aml to d e t dc a o r m e d o n t t e i i m prisonment with 1001. fine, and also ordered the confie! cation of the furniture and articles seized by the police. ban too sir 20 00 1.00 • IA ck toob 20 itock 1.0 too too too too too WO 100 too itOOk stook stock stock to 201 LOG LOO stook stock stook 20 stock .tock st ock 103 101; } 104 i ;103 21