The Sun. — London, England, 1864-08-20 00:00:00

Sir J. irelawny on Public Affairs. Sic J. Trelawny, 151. P., met his constituents at Tavistock on Wednesday evening. In the course of a long speech he said—The habit of members of Parliament to give an ac count of their stewardship is called "Extra Parliamentary terances," I think. What can be meant by it I hardly know, but the newspapers seem to deprecate what they call " Extra Parliatneatary utterances," as if there ware some thing wrong in it. They seem to imply, I suppose, that the addressee made are only to a portion of the public —really to the electors of particular boroughs; whereas in respect of our conduct we are responsible to the whole of the public. (Hear, hear.) I suppose that must be intended by the use of the expression to which I have referred. If that is so, I ask, why is not the suffrage extended ? (Hear, hear.) Those who say we are responsible to more than those who now possess the privilege of exercising the franchise ought, I think, in duty to myself and others, to consent to a farther extension of the franchise, because then things would be placed upon a proper and fair footing, and the members account, not only to electors, but also to the great thinking body of all classes of their fellow working men. (Hear, hear, and applause.) But whether lam right or wrong in thinking that those "Extra Parliamentary utterances are good in themselves, I know not ; but all I can say is, that I am in capital company, because the first person who has adopted this course since Parliament has met was, I think, Lord Palmerston--(hear, hear)—who has been down to Bradford, but not yet to Tiverton, where I believe he in tends to go, But he has been to Bradford, and there he has pronounced two or three sentences which have struck me as rather remarkable, considering the past. Sp ea ki ng of the creation of Bradford, if I recollect rightly, he attri buted the formation of the town which he saw, and all the wonders contained therein, to the energy and industry of the great industrious class of this country, (Hear, hear.) I think he descanted upon the manner in which a town had been made out of that which was almost a waste, and he seemed to think that this was owineto the energy of the Britons and the manner in which they had contended against difficulties of all sorts. But it struck me as rather extraordinary that, holding that view as regarding the energy, the ability, the capacity of the working classes of E ng l an d, it should never have occurred to him that they were fit for something more than that which they now pos sessed, and that they might very fairly receive a portion of those rights and liberties which are enjoyed by the rest of their fellow countrymen. (Hear, hear, and applause.) It seemed to me that the working classes might say, reason ably enough to Lord Palmerston, "My lord, fine words butter no parsnips—we should like to see more substantial results of these opinions of yours. You take office with the Understanding that you are going to bring in a better Re form Bill than that which was introduced by Mr Disraeli acting ender the Derbyite Government, and we supported you in the belief that we were going to receive that instal ment of justice for which we have so long waited." (Hear, hear.) But, unfortunately, as yet we perceive no progress in that direction—and I confess that I, for one, should be very glad if some of the energies of the Government were directed in that channel, and if the suffrage question could be definitively, and for ever, placed on an equitable footing. (Hear, hear.) But the noble lord was not content with his allusion to the working classes and their qualities—he alluded to the great capacity of Government. I think he said they were a Government composed of the most useful men—in fact, that the Cabinet was composed of more capable men than almost any other Cabinet which existed. (Hear.) I think that was the substance of what he said. Well the beat proof of the capacity of the Government would be their manner of dealing with great questions. (Hear ) If they have this extraordinary capacity, which I do not deny, surely it might reasonably be expected that questions like the church rate, the suffrage, the Irish Church, our rela tions with the colonies, and numbers of other questions to which I might advert, would be dealt with effectually by those who arrogate to themselves immense capacity--(hear) —and who are perfectly conversant with the difficulties with which they would have to deal. I think then we may fairly look to Government in the future session to show more energy than they have hitherto displayed in dealing with these questions. (Hear.) While speaking of the capacity of Government to which Lord Palmerston adverted, I admit that there are men of great capacity in the Government. (Hear.) There is Mr Gladstone, fcr example : he is a man of immense power—(loud applause)—and we owe much to him. He has done a good deal of good in many ways, and I must say he has shown a genial interest in matters con nected with the interest of the working classes which does him high honour. (Hear, and applause,) He spoke upon the suffrage qaestion on the occasion of the introduction of Mr Baines's motion, and he propounded a very sublime theory with regard to the rights of those who were excluded from possessing the franchise, unless it should be shown there was reason against their holding it. He threw, in fact, the onus upon other people of showing that they were not fit to possess the privilege of exercising the franchise. But this magnificent theory was entirely spoilt by a hazy explanation a day or two afterwards. I suppose that, find ing the matter he propounded was a little too strong for other members of the Cabinet, he slightly modified, or tried to explain away, what he had said on a previous occasion. (Hear, hear.) I confess I lika the theory better than the explanation—(hear, hear;--but we muss be content with the good we got, and certainly what Mr Gladstone said upon that occasion was calculated to germinate eventually, and bring about a better state of things. (Hear, hear.) ''here is, again, the Lord Chanceilor—a man of enormous power—and I think Dissenters ought to be thankful to him for the lesson which he read the bishops in the House of Lords. (Hear, hear, and applause.) It was a very shock ing thing indeed that we should look upon these man of peace in Convocation persecuting each other in the way they did, assuming the Royal prerogative, and taking upon them selves to punish, not men, perhaps, but books, such as " Essays and Reviews," and works of that description. However, they reaped the consequences. They were in steueted—to their faces too—by she Lord Chancellor, that they had been infringing upon the prerogative of the Crown. (Hear, hear.) We know there is nothing which the Church party in England—l refer to the ultra-Church party of course ; I do not mean the moderate and sensible Church party —are more fond of doing than showing that they will stand upon their extreme rights in Church !natters as regards ~_.. ~i 4 Lai um rates happen to be the law of the land, subject, of course, to the voice of persons who have the power of voting; but when they do vote it becomes the law of the land. The bishops are very fond of standing upon theirextreme rights; but now, supposing the Lord Coancellor's idea were to be held obligatory upon him, and supposing the bishops were to be proceeded against for having in Convocation infringed upon the prerogatives of the Crown, he told them what the consequence would be—l think he said that fat benefices would be all seques,er d and their parishes would be taken charge of by the State for State purposes. Their money would be applicable to all sorts of purposes, such as the army, navy, and the revision of education, and I don't know what else ; but they incurred that risk. (Hear, hear.) If we were to be very severe, we think we might say—" Here is a fund which is very applicable for church rates ; if you insist upon having a law for church rates, here is an equitable one, which might at once be re sorted to." The Lord Chancellor read them a lecture, which I think is a very beneficial one. Then there are other very able men in the Cabinet, but I should rather see the ability spread over a large surface. (Hear, hear.) I think there are several men in the Cabinet, or oat of it, con nected with the government, who are by no means first force, and various men have force enough for others as wall as themselves. I recollect hearing a friend of mine— a very able man and one of the best orators, in the true sense of the word, in the House of Commons—saying to me, " These men begin where other men end," alluding to the young aristocracy, who being born to statecraft are at once put in once and at once commence governing the country. (Hear, hear,) He said, " These men begin where other men end ;" that is to say, a man may be all bis life working to occupy the same position, and just as he be comes really eligible on account of his fitness it is too late. It was rather a melancholy reflection, and showed to me there was something not altogether satisfactory in the working of our institutions as regards the admission to office. (Hear, hear.) No doubt the competitive system made a con siderable change in that matter, but still it is the case. There is no doubt of the fact that there are numerous—l will not say numerous, but several—persons connected with the Go vernment who are not equal to the situation which they hold, and it is to them I think we owe some of the difficul ties which we see occur on all sides in managing the affairs of the State. There are several other eminent men we have lost. We have lost a very able man in Mr Lowe— (Hear, hear, and applause) —and I think he was hardly treated— (renewed applause)—bees use ha was pursued with consider able asperity on account of matters of which ho was perfectly innocent, aa I believe, and he lost his position as repre•ent ing the depar raent of education in the House of Commons. Again, there is another most able statesman we have lost this session—l mean Mr Stansfeld. (Hear, hear, and applause.) iMr Stansfeld was one of the most re markable and interes , ing men I ever met with. Ido nut know him more than in the slightest and most casual man • ner—in fact, barely at all; but I have watched him, and obasrvad his career, and know what is said of him in pri vate. I have heard that when he entered the Board of Ad miralty, he introduced ideas which bad never before oc curred to them—(hear, hear)—and his knowledge of ac countancy surprised and astounded them, and for the first time they began keeping regular accounts of all their trans actions. When I say this, I mean in the proper and mercan tile sense of the word. (Hear.) In fact, he was doing an in calculable amount of good in that office, when the unfortu• n ate business took place with regar d to a foreigner whose name you are well acquainted with, which led to his resign ing his post ; and I must confess, for one, I very deeply regret that we have lost hie services in that office, (Hear, hear.) These are eminent men, and no doubt it was to some of these that Lord Palmerston alluded when he spoke of the extraordinary capacity of the Government, but I cannot help thinking that the corps requited no trumpeter when he praised the Cabinet for its composition. It mighthave been inferred—as he said the Cabinet was so capable—how very capable it was of the man who had selected it, s, it was one word for the Cabinet and two for Lord Palmerston. (Laughter,) Well, Lord Palmerston is a man who deserves well of his country, b e i ng , p er haps it may not be too much Then there is a to say, our first working-man in offioe. ncbie earl to whom we also owe a great deal. I say we owe him a debt if it is only for one thing—that we are not at war with :he United States. It is now three , e cur years since that terrible struggle has been going on, an errcr of the smallest kind might have been the causs of a terrible war between Great Bri . .ain and the Ua el States. He has acted with a degree of tact, coura.;e, coolness, and calmness, and conciliation where proder, but, at the same time, firmness where necessary. The result has been that he has, in some way or another, d one th a t which was almost the most difficult thing conceivable, viz:, he has kept this country at peace. (Hear.) Now a great deal is said about intervention, and whether this country ought to interfere, or ought not, in foreign affairs. Ido not think you can draw a very strong line. Ido not think you can say that in no case whatever should we in tervene, and I am of opinion that the occasions should be very rare when we intervene in au foreign matters ; yet, at the same time, from the experience I have had, I could not say that in no case whatever would I interfere in foreign affairs. (Hear, hear.) And I say this with special reference to several instances which have occurred of late (Hear, hear.) [The speaker illustrated his meaning by reference to Denmark, Italy, and Poland, and then Proceeded to allude to the Ashantee affair and New Zealand. With reference to the latter he said— The whole disturbance now going on at New Zealand arises more or less out of the rapacity of the colonists for land. They are discontented with what they have got, and are always trying to get more, and the Governor of New Zealand, before the present Governor Grey, instead of treating the natives in accordance with the terms of the treaty called the Treaty of Waitangi—namely, upon a footing of having the rights and privileges of English subjects—they were treated on an altogether different sys- tem, and in fact with different laws ; or rather the laws were broken in their case, which laws would have held good with Englishmen, and their land was taken from them by force. Well, they ceased to believe in us. The New Zealand people are not savages in the sense in which many men are savages on the African coasts. They have their own schools, their own ministers of religion, their own churches, and in fact they are a highly civilised people when you consider the difficulties against which they have to con tend. (Hear, hear.) They ars not to be treated as savages. (Hear, hear.) They perfectly understand what they are about, but they cease to believe in us because they have been treated with the greatest possible injustice ; and a more heroic people I do not believe exist on the face of the earth, (Hear, hear, and applause.) We shall have a great deal more trouble, I am afraid, with New Zealand land, as I said before, it is a very likely thing that 2d in the pound will be added to the income tax in consequence of this mis management of colonial affairs. It is owing to mar system, that we do not interfere until after the mischief had been done, and an attempt to punish those who held office for their conduct is simply useless, and we are obliged to go on with new men. There is a class of subjects in the HOUSE of Commons which I believe are more interesting than any others at the present time. I have spoken of the ballot on former occasions. Although there are a great many interested in that class of subject, yet there is another class far more interesting to a number of people in England now than at any other time, I mean espe cially matters connected with the liberation of the human conscience. There are subjects of this sort arising every day, not only outside the Church of Eng land. Dies are intolerant at subscriptions for mere form sake. They will not be coerced according to another man's will. They will have a will of their own, so to speak. This is expressed by the manner in which various bills are brought into Parliament—for instance, there was the Uni versity Tests' Act, the Act of Uniformity Amendments Bill, and various other measures, which have been from time to time introduced. Amongst others there is a bill which I had the honour of introducing myself, and which will very likely come on again, I mean the Affirmation Bill. (Hear, hear.) This bill will have the effect of relieving those ministers in the Church or out of the Church who conscientiously object to read the burial service—and others who have an objection to the retention of parts of the Liturgy. Some of those are conscientious men—most of them are men who have a very strong belief in the sub stance of the matter to which our Liturgy has relation ; but at the same time they cannot bear the tyranny to which they are exposed in being compelled to accept doctrines which they cannot believe in. Soule years ago people took these things very lightly. Ido not think that 100 years ago a minister would even have thought a second time about the question,but he would have accepted it--of course with a good living. I have had the pleasure this session of voting in favour of those measures, and I think you will find I have voted in the same sense as I have heretofore done. These are subjects which earnest men care more about at present, and a very large section do not care about subjects of suffrage and the ballot. In speaking of the ballot I must say I am still strongly in favour of that mea sure—(applause)—and I must say this of the ballot, that it is a very curious thing, I have noticed that nearly always a defeated candidate becomes favourable to the ballot—(hear hear)---or if he was not exoctly in favour of it before, but had a sneaking kind of liking for it, he becomes all of a sudden a great convert to it. lam not quite sure whether a learned gentleman recently defeated in this county did not confess that he was more strongly in favour of the ballot after the result of the election. I will not mention his name, but if he will allow me, as an old member of Parliament, to give him a hint, I venture to offer him one from this arena, and that is, let him recon sider the question °laurel'. rates ; and I think, in another year, if there is a dissolution, his chance will, possibly, come nearer success—(hear, and applause)--because it has been shown that compromise is hopeless. But now, with regard to the ballot--which, I say, people are so apt to become converts to—Lord Palmerston, I think, spoke of the ballot as all nonsense ; but I cannot see why secret voting can be all nonsense, when you consider that the men who votes, votes in the interest of the public, and the public ought to protect those who are performing any good for the sake of the public. If Lord Palmerston says nobody ought to do anything in secret, and that everything should be done open and aboveboard, I will ask him what he should say if I was to propose that all the Cabinet Councils should be subject to the inspection of the public ? (Hear, hear, and applause.) It might be very useful and instructive to us have heard remarks that in respect to some great contro versy on foreign affairs the Cabinet has been divided in the proportion of six to seven. Frequently one'hears of this sort of thing, and it may be very instructive to the British public to know what the reasons were for inducing those changes in their opinions —why it is that a Minister is one day for war, and the next day he comes into the Houle of Commons and votes for peace ; or, being in favour of peace comes down and votes for war. (ifear_hear.) It will not do to say that in no case shall secresy be permissible, where a very great interest is involved in the preservation of secresy. How about secret diplomacy ? One half the mischief we have suffered from our national debt is said to be due to secret diplomacy. I know that is the theory of some. I have no doubt some of the Ministers are very strongly in favour of it, but when we come to secret diplomacy as re gards the ballot, for protection, then we find those men who are so much for eecresy saying, "No ; we must have it all open and aboveboard." Still, lam bound to say the ballot is not a subject which is advocated with a great degree of earnestness in the House of Commons, I venture to say so. I will tell you what occurs behind the scenes. I have been present at many ballot debates, and I have noted that there is rather a tendency to amusement from beginning to end. There are very few speakers--perhaps two or three—and those having spoken you hear the cry of " Divide, divide," in order that it may be over before the victualling hour of half-past seven. That does not look like a question about which the people are very much interested, and if the elec■ tors believe the ballot is a measure that will do good service to the liberal cause they must alter the constitution of the House of Commons. They must require the house to be more sincere and resolute as regards measures which affect their support. At the present time I can assure you it is not the case that the ballot is looked upon with any strong feeling, and I believe a great number of Liberals, who are not in their hearts opposed to the ballot, are very shaky with regard to some of the reasons in favour of it. I tell you the truth. I have been a ballot man after an investi gation of the subject for a great many years. (Applause.) I took pains to analyse the subject somewhat about twenty one years ago, and I have taken pains to form my own opinion, and I cannot but think that all parties would re ceive advantage from th 3 adoption of the ballot—(applause) —therefore lam not going to be feichless to it. (Renewed applause.) Aa ELECTOR. asked the hoa baronet for his opinion en the law relating to Scotch marriages, having special refer ence to the late Yelverton case. Sir J. TRELAWNY replied—That is rather a difficult question for me, I not being a Scotchtuan. I will confess that the authorities are very strong on both sides, even in House of Lords. I cannot see how I can pronounce a very satisfactory opinion on so delicate a legal point—(hear, hear) —but I must say I think the marriage law is in a very un satisfactory condition—(hear;—because we find that a mar • riage appears good in Ireland when celebrated according to the rites of the Catholic Church, and not good in England, and perhaps neither good in England or Ireland, yet good in Scotland. Such a condition of affairs as to the uncer tainty of the law, I think, leads to great immorality, and if I saw any way to any steps being taken to remedy the evil I should only be too anxious to assist my friend in the views he evidently holds. (Hear, hear.) A vote of confluence in the hon. baronet was afterwards passed. [ADVERTISEMENT.]—HoIIoway's Pills are the most gentle yet most effective aperients, and therefore better calculated for a family medicine than any other drug. They always set the stomach right, rouse the liver, stimulate the kidneys, and thoroughly cleanse the whole system. Hol loway's Pills are most useful in chronic weakness of the stomach, induced by luxurious living, sedentary habits, or other causes. They have restored the emaciated to health after every other means had failed. While they are puri fying they are strengthening, while regulating they are increasing nervous and muscular power. These pills do not excite any violent action in the body; hence they are ispecially su it e d t o th e young and feeble, whose constitu tions may b e i rretr i eva b ly injured by more powerful medicines. THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, AUGUST 20, 1864. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE, OXFORD RACES-FRIDAY. The Innkeepers' Handicap Plate of 40 sovs, added to a Sweepstakes of 5 eovs each, fur all ages ; winn ers extra, Straight half a mile. Mr Wood's Pupil, 5 yrs, 7st 81b Lord Bateman's Gipsy Girl, 4 yrs, 7st 81b ..(I'. French) 2 Mr Cherry's Birdfinder, 4 yrs, 83t 41b (Custance) 3 The following also ran :—Cranbury, Flatterer, Bolero, Arcus,Worthless, The Doe, Don't Come Late, Lady Fanny Cavendish, and Lady di Vergy. Betting-3 to 1 agst Birdfinder, 100 to 30 agst Cran bury, 9 to 2 (at first 3 to 1) agst Pupil, 8 to 1 agst Gipsy Girl, 10 to 1 agst Don't Come Late, 100 to 6 agst The Doe. After a number of false starts they were creditably de spatched, Gipsy Girl in a few strides took the lead, fol lowed by Pupil, Birdfinder, and Don't Come Late, almost in a line, to the half distance, where Pupil went to the front and won by three-parts of a length ; a head separated the second and third, Worthless was fourth, Cranbury fifth, Lady Fanny Cavendish sixth, Flatterer seventh, Don't Come Late eighth, The Doe ninth, Lady di Vergy tenth, Match-200 sovs, h ft. Three-quarters of a mile. Mr Hodgman's Ilawkshaw, 3 yrs, Bst ilb....(Fordham) 1 Mr Brayley's Rappel, 3 yrs, Bst 71b (A. Cowl e y) 2 Betting-11 to Bon Hawkshaw, who waited on the non favourite till within 50 yards from the judge's box, when Fordham got Hawkshaw's head in front, and finally won by a neck. The Princess of Wales' Stakes of 200 sous in specie, for all ages. Three-quarters of a mile. Mr J. Wood's Rose, 3 yrs, 6st 61b (J. Grimshaw) 1 Lord Coventry's Umpire, aged, 9st (J. Adams) 2 Lord Chesterfield's Black Lily, 6 yrs, 7st 31b.. (Herbert) 3 The following also ran :—Golden Dust, Gamecock, ➢Solly Carew, Manchester, Barter, Confederate, Countersign, Idler, The Warrior, .tEtna, Widen, Vandervelde, Alea, and North End. Betting-7 to 2 each agst Manchester and Rose, 100 to 15 each agat Black Lily and Umpire, 8 to 1 agat The Warrior, 100 to 8 agst Gamecock, 100 to 7 agst .Etna. Rose made all the running and won in a canter by three lengths, a head only separating the second and third, oa sian was fourth, Molley Carew fifth, The Warrior sixth, and the last of all was Vandervelde. The Stratton Audley Nursery Handicap of 100 sous, added to a Sweepstakes of 10 sovs each, for two-yr-olds. Three quarters of a mile. Mr Handley's Saloon, 6st 111 b (Carroll) 1 Mr Nightingall's Discretion, 7st 51b.. (Jas. Nightingall) t Mr Night's Lovelace, Gat 51b The following also ran :—Chimney Sweep, The Scheldt, (foram, Czarina, Endsleigh, Lord Roland, Scylla, Maggie, Protectionist, The Brigand, Threadbare, and Queen Bee colt. Betting--4 to 1 agst Brigand-7 to 1 each eget Discre tion, Chimney Sweep, and Czarina-8 to 1 egg Threadbare —lOO to 8 each agst Saloon (at first 10 to 1), the Queen Bee filly, Goram, Scylla, and the Scheldt-20 to 1 agst Pro tectionist. After numerous failures The Scheldt made play, followed by Discretion, Lovelace, Saloon, and Chimney Sweep, until approaching the distance, where Lord Coventry's colt and The Scheldt dropped from the front, whereupon Discretion was left with a clear lead. Opposite the stand Saloon and Lovelace came with a rush, and Saloon getting up in the last stride won by a head ; Lovelace also collaring Discretion on the post finished a dead heat with her for second place; Goram was fourth, Chimney Sweep fifth, and at the head of the others, who came past the judge in scattered order, was Scylla. The City Members' Plate (Handicap) of 50 sous, added to a Sweepstakes of 5 nova each; winners extra, One mile, Mr Notley's Clementi, 5 yrs, 7st 21b (S. Adams) 1 Mr H. Holman's Manchester, 4 yrs, Bst 51b tin._ slb ex.) _ (J. Holman) 2 Betting-4 to lon Manchester, who made the running until opposite the stand, where Clementi challenged and won a good race by a neck. The Selling Plate; weight for age; selling and other allowances. Half a mile straight. Lord Coventry's Lbzzaroni, 2 yrs (£3O), sst 111 b (Mordan) 1 Mr Williams's Mishap colt, 3 yrs, (x3O), sst .111 b _ (Carroll) 2 Mr Saxon's Romola, 2 yrs (no, sst 71b (J. Grimahaw) 3 Stainley, Nathalie, and May also ran. Betting-5 to 4 agst Lazzaroni, 2to 1 agst Romola, 4to 1 each agst Stainley and Nathalie. Won by half a length, Itomola a bad third. May was left at the post. The winner was bought by Mr Giubilei for 140 guineas, and Mr Saxon claimed the Mishap colt. The Stand Plate Handicap of 50 sovs, for 3-yr-olds and upwards ; winners extra. Three quarters of a mile straight. Mr J. Wood's Rose, 3 yrs, 7st 131 b (including 71b extra) _ (J. Grirasbaw) 1 Mr G. Crock's Loafer, 3 yrs, Est 91b (Carroll) 2 Mr G. Fenw.ck'a Batsman, 4 yrs, 7st 51b (inc. 71b extra) (S. Adams) 3 Betting-6 to 1 agst Rose, 7to 4 apt Loafer, sto 2 agst Batsman. Won by half a length ; a bad third. LATEST BETTING ON TILE COURSE, EBOR HANDICAP. 4 to 1 agst East Lancashire (offered) 5 to 1 agst Highflyer's dam colt (offered) sto 1 agst Raglen (offered) 7 to 1 agst Welcome (offered) 10 to 1 agst Caller Ou (offered-200 to 15 taken) BETTING AT MANCHESTER.—YESTEDDAY. To-day the business done was almost confiaed to events now decided. For the Ebor Handicap 9to 2 was taken about Raglan, Higbfiyer was firm at 5 to 1, and half a point more was accepted about E ist Lancashire, less than S to 1 was refused about Welcome, l 0 to 1 was currently offered agst Caller On, and 100 to 8 was the taking price about Donnybrook. For the St. Leger 2to 1 was offered on the field, and less than 7 to 2 was refused about General Peel, and 10 to 1 was offered agst Baragah. Closing prices,:— EBOB. HANDICAP. 9 to 2 agst Raglan (taken) sto 1 agst Highflyer dam colt (taken) 10 to 1 agst Caller Ou (offered) 100 to 8 agst Donnybrook (taken) DONCASTER ST. LEGER. 2to 1 agst Blair Athol (take 9 to 4) 3to 1 agst General Peel (take 7to 2) 10 to 1 agst Baragah (offered) RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE, LONDON AND NORTH WESTERN. The half-yearly meeting of this company was held yester day at the Easton Station ; Mr R. Moon, the chairman, presided. Mr C. E. Stewart, the secretary, having read the notice convening the meeting, the directors' report, which appeared in The Sun, was taken as read. The capital account showed that £38,700,420 had been received, and £38,311,853 expended, leaving a balance of £388,567. The revenue account for the half year ending June 30 showed that £2,690,652 had been received, and £1,069,161 expended for working charges, and £42,492 for rates and taxes, £31,423 for passenger duty, £lB,OOO for Parliamentary and legal expenses, £368 for schools, £7,338 insurance, &.;., of steamboat, and £53,333 for renewal of road, leaving a balance of £1,365,338. The CHAIRMAN said as the comparison of the accounts had been made in the financial statement the proprietors could judge for themselves as to the various items; and as the directors were enabled to propose a dividend at the rate of 5:1 per cent, per annum, with a larger reserve than they commenced with a year ago, he proposed on that occasion to answer any questions, and merely to move that the re port, together with the half-yearly statement of accounts, be received and adopted. Mr BR° wN-WEsTnEAD, M.P., seconded the motion. Mr PALMER wished to know whether any arrangement had been made with the Midland Company for the inter change of traffic at Rugby in return for the access which the North-Western Company were about to give, the Mid land over the Lancaster and Carlisle Railway. Before the end of another year or two the Midland would come into London over their new line, thus competing with them for 50 miles out of London ; and as the Midland were to have facilities over the Lancaster and Carlisle, it was possible that a serious competi ion might arise. The policy of the North-Western Board had always been what he considered very proper towards other companies. Mr MORGAN considered it a subject of much congratula tion to the proprietors to receive so satisfactory a report. If shareholders had any weakness, it was for dividends. (A laugh.) He had been much pleased with the conduct of the board in Parliament during the last session. They had endeavoured to prevent many schemes being carried out, which would have tended to increase its prosperity. The board had met with considerable success, and he thought it a great thing to have achieved an extension of the London and North-Western in connexion with the South-Eastern at Charing-cross. He was sorry to see in the report' so large a sum of money wanted as £380,000 for various works on the railway. He was happy to see that during the last two or three years a diftesent policy had been adopted by the board, and that they had laboured hard to work in uni son with their neighbours, the Great Western, the Midland, and the Great Northern. No doubt, when they were all working in opposition, they were carrying a vast deal of unprofitable traffic. There was plenty of traffic for all. They knew very well that increased population, which they could not stop, increased material, and increased love of travelling, must necessarily increase traffic, and he had no doubt that the London and North-Western would get its fair proportion. He was sorry to have heard it stated that the increased receipts on the London and North-Western were mainly due to the agreement which had been come to with the Great Western Company. Whether there was any truth in that statement he knew not, but he hoped the chairman would give some explanation of it. They had a great interest in working fairly with the Great Western and the Midland, and he did not regret that the Midland had power to run over the Lancaster and Carlisle, because he supposed they would give a quid pro quo. (Hear, hear.) He did not like to see they were about to guarantee a per petual 4 per cent on the Bedford and Cambridge line, and he should I.ke to know what amount of dividend the Bed ford and Cambridge Company had been receiving on their line. Mr ROBINSON, in reference to the paragraph in the re • port relating to the Lime-street Station and Hotel, wished to know whether the £50,000 for the hotel was an estimate, and intended to cover the whole of the expense, and whether an estimate was made as to the full cost of the laad that the hotel would cover. Mr JAMES wished to know whether the property required for the enlargement of the hotel in Lime-street had been valued. They were going to add this half year £350,000 more to the capital already expended, and if they were to go on adding in that way, they would eventually double the present total amount, Mr TAYLOR called attention to the position of the Mid• land Company and their aggressive policy. Ho did not know whether any agreement had been come, to with them respecting the traffic, and he hoped the directors would not be forced into a competition with that company for traffic to and from the metropolis. The CHAIRMAN, in reply, stated that with regard to the Midland, they were in friendly relations with that company and negotiations were in progress with a view to a settle. ment of all those questions which had been mooted respect ing the Lancaster and Carlisle and other matters. They had obtained from Parliament this year power to make au agreement to admit the Midland to the Lancaster and Car lisle lease, uotwithstanding the opposition of a certain por tion of the Lancaster and Carlisle shareholders. The en largement at Rugby was for the accommodation of the coal traffic, and also a new waiting-room, which was absolutely necessary there. Something had been said about spending no more money. Ha had told them when he had the honour to take the chair of that company that they had got a house ill-furnished, and they must furnish it; and if they were to have the dividends improve they must spend the neces sary capital to earn larger receipts. Therefore he could not hold out any hope that there would be an absolute limit to necessary expenditure to bring additional profit. So long as the Government of the country acted upon the present system of allowing other parties to rob the company of its traffic at all points, they must endeavour to replace that with increased traffic, and to secure their position they must have increased accommodation. As to the Lime-street Sta tion Hotel, they had had a very rough estimate made in order to bring the subject before the proprietors as to the cost of the hotel, and they assumed it to be £50,000. The plans were not prepared, but it was to stand on their own land fronting Lime-street. The station itself was at the mouth of a tunnel—it was very difficult to work, and their in creasing traffic required that they should enlarge it. It had been found advisable that the hotels at the termini should be generally in the hands of the company, because they worked them not for the profit of the hotel, but for the general convenience of the public; and it practically was a reduction of the fares, because the passengers got into the hotel upon their landing, and were charged at a mos derate rate. With regard to the Bedford and Cambridge agreement, it was made several years ago, and in which there was a joint interest. They found great difficulty in working that joint interest. The expenditure had greatly exceeded the original estimate, but, as the parties were dis satisfied, the directors thought, as there was little or no no risk, to compromise the matter. The Bedford Company were entitled to 41, and they agreed to convert it into a perpetual 4 per cent. The capital invested was about £250,000, of which the company already had £70.000, so that it was a trifling matter. They had, no doubt, like all other companies, derived some advantage from the present quiescent state of matters among the leading companies. They had been all working more friendly together. As to the Great Western agreement, he believed they had not derived any advantage whatever directly from it to the pre sent time. They lied, nevertheless, accorded to the Great Western Company all the advantages to which they were entitled under the agreement, and they could fearlessly refer to their conduct in Parliament during the late session with a view to show how anxious thy hat bean to act not only up to the letter but to the spirit of the agreement. They hoped that as the Great Western found it advantage ous to be on amicable terms with them they would also see that it was well to act liberally and cordially towards them. The report of the directors and statement of accounts were unanimously received and adopted. The CHAIRMAN then moved that a dividend of £2 17s 6,1 per £lOO stock, and so in proportion on shares of a lower nominal amount, be declared out of the net profit of the company for the half year ending the 30th June, • Mr B. WESTHEAD seconded the motion, and it was car ried unanimously. The CHAIRMAN next proposed tho sanction of the meet ing to the addition to the capital of the company of the sum of £381,406, for the new works referred to in the report, and that the 811111 of £6,239, expended in the improvement of the permanent way, be transferred is the capital account, under a separate and distinct head. ➢ir B. WESTHEAD seconded the motion, and it was agreed to. The audit committee was then appointed for the ensuing year, and it was stated that Mr Tyrer, one of the com mittee, was about to build a church at Stafford for the acco uoodation of persona employed by the company. The meeting was then made special, and resolutions ware passed authorising the conversion of the St. Helen's shares and stock, under the powers of the Transfer Act, 1861, into London and North Western (St. Helen's stock) and also the creation of new capital to redeem the redecrnab:e preference shares of the St. Helen's Railway Company. It was explained that the arrangements would make the St. Helen's shares more marketable, and reduce the interest now payable on the redeemable stuck. There was another resolution for sanctioning a subscrip tion of XlOO,OOO to Lancashire Union Railway, but the further consideration of it was adjourned to Oct. 22 at noon. On the motion of Mr MORGAN a vote of thanks to the chairman and directors was passed unanimously. The CHAILtMAN said they felt much indebted to the shareholders for the support they had given the Board on several occasions. In the last half year the increased receipts were nearly all available as profit to pay for dividend, Their dividend that day was larger than for the corresponding period. Three years ago some of their shareholders com plained of the smallness of the dividend. Far the half year ending June 30, ISGI, the dividend was at the rate of 3,1 the Irlirruman t of.w.hien 51 per cent. that day, instead of taking anything our of the reserve fund, they had carried over a balance of £17,000. The gross receipts for the half year ending June 30, 1861, showed an increase of £.17,000 as compared with the gross receipts for the half year ending June, 1861, and this in creaae had been earned at en increased expense of £35,000; therefore they had received £150,000 of additional profits, which had been distributed among the proprietors of the company. The advantage in the price of materials and the prosperity of the country had contributed something to that result, but most of all by tke energetic exertions of the offi cers of the company. Tne locomotive expenses in 1861 amounted to £337,000, and in the past half-year to £333,000. The item for maintenance cf way was £ll,OOO less. In the item for carriage stock £l,lOO less, in the waggon stock £606 more. The coaching expenses over 218 additional miles were only £9,000 more than in the corresponding half of 1861. The increase in the expenses for goods traffic, which involved additional lalour, was £23,000. lie thought they ought to be well satisfied with the exertions of their officers, Ile might mention that the receipts per train per mile amounted in the past htlf-year to 5s 26 for passengers, to Gs 21d for goods, the average being 5s 81d. The ex penses were 2s Bid per train mile, and the profit 3s id per train mile, against 5s per triin tulle for passengers in the corresponding half of 1863; is Id for goods, the average being Os Gid per train mile. The expenses were 2s 9 1 1, and the profit 2s B.icl per tray mile in the same half of 1863 They might say, as a writer in the Tones had re cently expressed it, that the London and North - Western was a noble undertaking. Tiere was no difficulty in the future that they did not knov of, provided they had the confidence of the shareholders, which had hitherto been ac corted to them. The meeting then separatec. SOi TH-Ej~STERN, The report of tle directors hate that the gross receipts for the half .year ending the 31:t July amounted to £596,894 (including £26,6(2 frim steanboat traffic), as compared with £573,817 to- the corresponding period of last year, being an increas3 of £23,077. The working expenses amounted to £-56,268, the -ates, taxes, tolls, and Go vernment duty to .£34,649, and the working of the steam packet service tc £13,038. After providing for the fixed charges there remained a net balance of £161,357, out of which the directoj recommended a dividend of 12s Oct per £3O stock, or at tie rate of £1 58 per cent, per annum, pay tember, leaving a balance of £3,392. able on the Ist ofsep NORTH DEVON. Yesterday thehalf-yearly general meeting of the proprie. tors was held atthe offices, East India-avenue, East India houso, Leadenhil-street ; Captain D. Warren in the chair The report was aken as read. The CHAIRM.N, in moving its adoption, congratulated the proprietors 'n the successful result of the negotiations with the Londca and South-Western, the result of which was that the a rialgamation of the two companies would take effect in Jhauary n.ext. The terms originally offered by the South-Wesern were not sufficiently acceptable to the North Devon, ! ut the result of subsequent negotiations had enabled then, o obtain from the South- Western £49 per cent. instead C £47 lOs per cent, as originally proposed. Under the arra,gements come to the redeemable preference stock of the .:', c•th Devon would become preferential stock of the South -l estern. The proprietors were the more to be congratulatd on the arrangement that had b een ma d e , seeing that sineside by they last met an act o f Pa r li amen t h a d been granted f r t h e construction of another railway almost side wi h that of the North Devon running fro m Taunton to Sc tth Molton and Barnstaple. Had they not succeeded in l iking the arrangement they had with the South- We ster , they might never have made any arrange ment at all ; tut ,the surpri s ing thing to him was that ha ving exPenCd h a lf a m illi on on th e N or th D evo n li ne , and having or y received so small a return, a competing Company weul b e f oun d rea d y to i nvest the same d is t r i ct with their oa ital, He regretted the absence of their worthy chairman, Nit rite, M.P., owing to a domestic calamity, and conclude(by moving the payment of a dividend at the rate of £1 163 per cent, per annum on the ordinary stock, 188 per cent. per annum on the A stock, and £3 12s rr ent. per annum on th 3 B stock free of income tax. The Count EYRE seconded the motion, and it was carried unanimously, and thanks to the chairman and directors concluded the proceedings. sorTni DEVON. The report of the directors states that the gross revenue during the half-year ending the 30th of June amounted to £96,625, and for the corresponding half o,f . 1863 to £89,217, showing an increase of £7,408. The traffic receipts amounted to £96,624, the expenses to £52,370, and the profit to £44,254, against £34,970 for the corresponding half of last year. The disposable balance amounted to £27,509, of which £5,070 was for payment of annuities on the Ist of September, £2,250 dividend on new shares, £6,753 dividend on additional shares, and £11,939 dividend at the rate of 32s 6d per cent. per annum on the ordinary stock, leaving a balance of £1,496. The capital expended on works and plant amounted to £1,876; a credit of £1,762 had been rea lised by the sale of surplus property, reducing the outlay to £ll4. The directors recommended an application to Par liament to enable them to raise additional capital of £300,000 to provide plant and working stock, as the con tract for working the traffic would terminate in July, 1866. The capital account showed that £2,405,733 had been ex pended, leaving a balance of £51,563. BIDE FORD, Yesterday the half-yearly meeting of this company was held at the offices, East India Avenue, Leadenhall-street, Captain Warren in the chair. Mr Chanter, the secretary, read the report, from which it appeared that the Act had passed for incorporating the company with the London and South-Western Railway Company on the Ist of January next. A dividend at the rate of 3 per cent, per annum was declared, and the report was adopted. BUCKINGHAMSHIRE. The half-yearly meeting of this company was held yester day at the Euston Station, Sir H. Terney in the chair. The SECRETARY read the report, which stated that the balance in hand at the commencement of the half-year amounted to £7,194, and the rent received from the London and North- Western Company was £24,900, making a total of £32,096. The payments to the proprietors had amounted to £24,385, leaving a balance of £7,709. The directors had much _satisfaction in reporting an increased traffic receipt during the last six months as compared with the correspond ing period of last year. The Royal assent had been given to the East Gloucestershire line, and they believed with the extension of the Buckinghamshire system the traffic over the company's line would continue to improve. The junc tion of the Buckinghamshire with the line of the Great Western at Banbury had been completed, and the works of the Aylesbury and Buckingham railway were progressing. The CHAIRMAN moved the adoption of the report, and expressed his regret that the Legislature bad not sanctioned the bill promoted for the construction of a line from Ban bury to Brockley, a line which, he said, was much required to promote the interests of the district. Mr DEAN seconded the motion, which was agreed to. . _ The CHAIRMAN moved the re-election of Mr R. Carter as auditor, which was seconded and carried, and a vote of thanks to the chairman and directors concluded the proceedings. MONMOUTHSHIRE. It appears that the directors of this company have deter. , mined to recommend to the shareholders that a dividend at the rate of 6i per cent. per annum be declared for the past half• year, being an increase of per cent, per annum on the dividend for the corresponding half of 1863. Railway Traffic Returns for the Week. Miles Opened. Receipts Railways. 1864. 1863. . 1864. 1863. £ 4 Belfast and N. Counties 136 136 2,547 2.376 Belfast and County Down 49 49 E 62 729 Blyth and Tyne 2B 28 2,118 1,998 Bristol and Exeter l2ll 121} 3,14 t 8,123 Caledonian 252 1.',34,t 20,402 18.328 Cambrian ,_ Cockermouth & Workington 84 81 '346 321 Cork and Bandon 2O 20 370 329 Cork, Blackrock, & Passage 6i 61 251 268 Cork and Youghal ... 324 324 619 519 Cornwall 631 53t 1,931 1.574 Deeside , 17 17 610 415 Dublin & Belfast Junction 63 63 1,530 1.t.83 Dublin and Drogheda 75 75 2,220 2,091 Dublin and Meath Dub. & Wicklow and Wextd 9l} 54 3,61 i 2,914 Furness, &c e 5O 5'.) 3,174 3,i.,45 Glasgow & South-Western Gt. Eastern,Nrik.,&E. Union Great Northern 353 351 36.907 31,803 Great North of Scotland 58 58 2,010 2.414 UL Northn. & Westn. (Ire'.) 7ll 71/ 389 451 qt.Southn. & Westn.(lrlnd.) 3731 329 9,247 8,174 Great Western 1056i 1056 i 73,375 68,189 Hull and Hornsea l3 218 Inverness & Aberdeen JUnc lO6/ 861 1,743 1,547 Inverness & Perth Junction 1191 2,887 Irish North-Western 145 145 1,714 1,899 Kent Coast 27 10 3,380 125 Lancashire & Yorkshire 402 3951 15,3,2 40,110 Limerick and Ennis. Limerick and Foynes 268 261 Hi 147 Llanelly 461 468 697 845 London & North-Western London and Blackwall 5l 51 2,09 e 2,134 London & South- W ester's Lond. Brighton, &S. Coast 261/ 2501 21,917 23,286 London, Chatham, & Dover 724 721 8,458 7.10 Do. Metropolitan Extension lii 104 2,725 1,500 Man.,Sheffield,&Lincolnsh Manch. S.dun.&Altrincham 9l 01 1,665 1,307 Nlaryport and Carlisle _ . 'Metropolitan . . Midland (incl. N.- Western) 641 63i/ 4 ,t , 86 45,7 , 85 Midland G t.Westn. of Irind 262 259} 4,451 4.308 Dlonkland Momnoutlish. hail ~ti Canal.. North British, liclin., Perth 2,986 2,479 and Dundee . . 593 583 23, t 25 23.585 N-Eastern and Stock. & Darl 1095 1095 67,404 59,514 North London 9 9 3,426 3,.17 North Staffordshire 254 252 10,372 7,485 Oswestry and Newton... 5O 50 - • Rhymney 194 194 933 985 Scottish Central Scottish North-Eastern l3B 138 7035 6,810 Somerset and Dorset 66 394 969 449 South Devon South-Eastern 3OO 305 29,397 29,380 Taff Vale 57 57 5,738 5,717 Ulster Vale of Clwyd. Vale of Neath 431 36 3,121 3.532 Waterford and Kilkenny 3l 31 430 425 Waterford and Limerick 77 77 3,253 1, , 96 West Cornwial 2_7l 2_7i 832 818 !fel ItiThir,M7llsll "L"L 4,836 4 . 0 6 98 ,0 Whitehaven & Furness Jun.— 35 35 1,000 843 FOREIGN AND COLONIAL,. Austrian B2B 826 32,467 30,145 Bahia and San Francisco - 3'a - Belgian Eastern ./ unction.- 264 2q 417 261 Bombay, Baroda, & ten. India 1854 185 k 2,593 2,109 Buffalo and Lake Huron l6li l6lt 1,838 1.548 Detroit and Milwaukie lB9 185 4,3z0 3,031 Dutch Rhenish - - Eastern Bengal Eastern of France ....... East Indian Grand Trunk of Canada lO9O 1090 18,649 15,141 Great Central of Belgium lBO ' - 5,7 i 3 _ Great Indian Peninsula 5 ` ,3 533 i 9,139 11,211 Great Luxembourg 134 134 4,612 4,549 Great Southefn of India ... • 79 79 576 580 Great Western of Canada 345 3i 5 10,032 8,607 Madras 417 447 6,767 1,160 Madrid, Saragossa AzAiicant 650 490 18,103 18, 2 9 6 Northern of Canada . - Northern of France 697 697 59,131 56,007 Norwegian Trunk Ottoman .. ........ Paris, Lyons, & Mediterrn lBO5 1713 135,,.06 129,911 Paris and Orleans 1614 1494 64,441 60,956 Pernambuco .. .. 77i 77 688 6.5 Royal Danish - - Scinde 106 105 - • South Austrian - - Southern of France.......~ Victorianl96 196 9,191 7,801 Welland en, . 25 25 653 333 West Flanders W. and N.W. o f F rance, 960 813 56,529 49,372 STATE OF TRADE, 3lANcirEstrEn, Aug. 19.—1 n shipping yarns there has been no business to-day. The market appears to be in a at ate of suspense, buyers manifesting a disposition to await the arrival of the American and East Indian mails before entering upon such operations. In home trade yarns there have also been but few inquiries. Prices are nominally about the same as on Tuesday, but in some instances spinners seem more anxious about selling than of late, and in such cases they would probably make some concessions to induce business. In the cloth market, on Tuesday, sellers thought they perceived indications of a greater desire to do business on the part of buyers, but if there were any such indications they seem now to have disappeared. The market is very fiat. As a rule, buyers remain inactive and show no disposition for business. There have been some inquiries to-day, but mostly without result. When offers have been made they have generally been at prices too low for acceptance, manu facturers not being as yet troubled with stocks to an extent which would induce them to make the sacrifices implied by such offers. In such few operations as have taken place sellers have had to accept prices considerably below Tues day's quotations. CARDIFF, lEth,—There is a considerable amount of acti vity evin( ed in the steam coal trade, and a large business is being done at the docks. The advance in the rate of dis count has not affected transactions to the extent anticipated, which shows that the trade is in a fairly satisfactory state, House qualities are also in good demand. Quotations are well maintained for both house and steam. Coke is in average request, and prices remain without any alteration. A brisk inquiry exists for patent fuel, principally from the eastern ports. At the ironworks the want of rain is severely felt, and many establishments are at a partiatstandstill. better feeling has prevailed in the trade during the lest ffew days. and althou g h t h ere h, s b een no actual advance, prices are firmer. The shipbuilding yards continue in active employ. NOTTINGHAM, 19th.—There was about an average at tendance of merchants and manufacturers at this exchange hall to-day, but the demand for lace yarns was dull, at little or no alteration in prices. In hosiery yarns no material change took place. Silks very firm, and prices are advanc ing; spun silks tending upwards. The demand for Brown nets was very dull, and prices were unchanged. REPRESENTATION OF WEsTMINSTER.---A move ment is said to be on foot in Westminster for the purpose of securing the return of Sir John Roadlly, the master of the Rolls, as member for the City of Westminster at the newt general election. Some ti me ago Si r De Lacy Evans stated that he did not intend standing for the city again, but since that he has intimated his intention of coming for ward. The Master of the Rolls is the only Judgo Who is at liberty to hold a seat ill the House of Commons. SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS. TIMES.—Tho struggle in America has never been maintained with such vigour as at the present moment. Formerly the defeat of an army was almost always followed by a period of inaction ; but now the armies on both sides appear sufficiently trained to the vicissitudes of warfare to receive and inflict disaster as one of the inevitable parts of a campaign. The struggle, therefore, is almost equally interesting at all points. Expectation is kept on the strain at Atlanta as well as Richmond, in Mary land as in Georgia ; and now the Federal fleet adds another to these points of interest. It is some time since the Federal navy has been engaged in any thing but the safe duty of maintaining the blockade. At the commencement of the war it occupied almost the first place in interest and importance, and the capture of New Orleans, with the consequent com mand of the Mississippi, is still, perhaps, the chief advantage which the Federals have gained. That success was, it will be remembered, achieved by Admiral Farragut, and the same Admiral has, it appears, achieved a similar exploit before Mobile, the most important Southern port in the Gulf of Mexico since the capture of New Orleans. Mobile lies at the head of a deep bay, no less than thirty miles long, and from three to eighteen miles broad. The entrance to this bay is narrowed by an island, named Dauphin Island, on the west, and a neck of land on the east. On Dauphin island Fort Gaines, on the neck of land Fort Morgan, command the entrance. Admiral Farragut's fleet, in order to attack Mobile, has had to engage both these forts, as well as a Confederate fleet. After a severe en gagement, however, in which one of the Federal Monitors was sunk and two Confederate ironclads captured, the Confederate Admiral also losing a leg and being taken prisoner, the forts were passed ; and on the sth of this month the Federal Admiral was approaching the city with fourteen ships and three Monitors. Mobile has long been expecting an attack, and is, we believe, well prepared to meet one; but in the passage of the entrance to the harbour the Confederates have probably lost their most important line of defence. Admiral Far ragut has been the most successful of all the Federal officers. His achievement in the present case is, as we have said, precisely similar to his operations at New Orleans, although the struggle in this instance has been far inure severe. In both cases he has run the gauntlet of the forts supported by a fleet. At New Orleans the Confederates were very ill prepared, but his success in the present instance, against what we may suppose to be the matured defences of two forts cannot but be instructive to us at a time when we are occupied with a scientific contest between ships and guns. It would seem that where the passage of a fleet cannot be obstructed, it can always run the gauntlet of forts at the expense of a certain amount of loss. The defeat of the Federals before Charleston has principally arisen from the facility with which the Confederates have obstructed She channels, and have thus been able to detain the Federal fleet under fire of their forts. We shall look with interest for the details of this engagement, in the expecta tion that they will throw some light on this disputed point of naval warfare. The possession of Mobile would, of course, deprive the Confederates of a very valuable port, but it would also be important as giving the Federals a base of operations on the coast of Alabama. It is not surprising, therefore, to learn that the withdrawal of the Confederates from Mary lan d and Pennsylvania is connected with the ef forts of the Confederate Government to reinforce both A 2 bile and Atlanta. Unless, indeed, which is hardly possible, the Confederates could invade Maryland in such force as to strike a decisive blow, it would be a strange error in judgment to waste their strength upon mere demonstrations in their enemy's territory at the cost of important positions in their own. These vigorous raids, the destination and object of which are always equally unknown, probably serve the purpose not only of obtaining large booty, but of keeping the Federal Government on the alarm, and of withdrawing their attention from other movements of General Lee's army. If the Confederates have now retired, as it is said, they have been working, their will in Penn sylvania for about a week. Or course Gen. Avesill, who follows their retreat as obsequiously as he re. tires before their advance, is said to have defeated a portion of their army at Moorfield, in Virginia. The suppression of Gen. Hunter by Gen. Sheridan, who has till lately been in command of Grant's cavalry, may, perhaps, infuse some vigour into the incapable officers to whom Gen. Early has hitherto displayed so complete an indifference. As we anticipated, there are no signs at present of Gen. Grant's withdrawal from before Petersburg. On the contrary, severe fighting is said to have taken place before that city on the sth, but the Confederates may be partly as. suming the offensive. General Grant has visited Gen. Sheridan in Alaryland, and the appointment of Gen. Sheridan would of itself seem to indicate some combined plan of operations. Gen. Grant is, ac all events, a fit repreacntative of the tenacity of purpose, at any risk and cost, which has been dis played by the Federals all through the war, and his capacity to keep " pegging away" must be after Mr Lincoln's own heart. Gen. Lee, on the other hand, has never displayed his genius more com pletely than at the present time. He has success fully repulsed the most determined and tenacious attack, he now holds the main army of his adversary ineffective before a subordinate city, he is master of the whole territorywhich his adversaryhas traversed, he is able to invade his enemy's country at pleasure, and be despatches considerable reinforcements to the other points of peril in the Confederacy, if, as we have been led to believe, he has sent a considerable force to Atlanta, the continued absence of any satis factory news of Gen. Sherman is very ominous to the Federal prospects before that city. The great battles fought by Hood on his succeeding to the command of the Confederate force took place on the 20th and 22d. Since then another severe battle has been fought, brought about on the 28th" by an attempt of Gen. Hood to outflank Gen. Sherman." It this be reduced to the condition of iibesie - g " eatTa. - 'Me t result, too, appears at the best indecisive. Gen. Sherman had then been before the city little more than a week, and in that time had fought at least two severe battles, neither of which seems to have been a victory. Meanwhile it is now certain that the Confederates have a considerable force of cavalry in his rear, for on the 27th a division of Federal cavalry, while returning from a raid to the rear of Atlanta, was attacked by the Confederates, and so completely routed that out of 3,200 men only 500 had yet reported themselves. The struggle being thus evenly balanced every day increases the danger of Gen. Sherman, and it is evident that if a Confederate force is really moving to reinforce Gen. Hood, the Federal army is in a most critical posi tion. At all points the present news represents the combatants at the utmost strain of the struggle, and it is difficult to think that some decisive result can be long delayed. POST.—A series of acrimonious incidents has ex hibited the hollowness and instability of the under standing which subsists in name between the German Powers, and imparted significance to the meeting of the Emperor and the King at Vienna. Having acted up to her engagements, and enabled Prussia to carry out a scheme of aggression which, without her co-operation, could not have been accomplished, Austria naturally desires some sub► stantial arrangement as to the future. Understand• ings are all very well as far as they go, but thelm perial Government reasonably urges that, with cere Lain contingencies to be provided for, a mere promise of provision is scarcely a sufficient guarantee, To speak plainly, the Austrian Minister has no doubt satisfied himself that Count Bismark's verbal as surances of friendship and support are not negotie able, that they will not pass in Paris or in Turin any more than they will in London, and Austria requires a security which she can discount for ready power. She has had a good deal of experience in these matters, and can hardly forget that, after her defeat atMagenta,thougnPeussia was willing to refl.. der any little assistance she might need to keep h er German subjects in order, the Cabinet of Berlin had an invincible objection to interfere on the Mi nc e ) , Prussia would have watched or occupied the Aus trian territory where the operation could have been performed without inconvenience; but she W a s not prepared to undertake a war against France. That, however, was precisely what the Emperor F ranc i s Joseph m us t h ave w i s hed her to do, and he may think that he lost Lombardy through the At any rate Austraibastiesnotieern. of his prudent ally. tainly now entitled to look after her own interest,- .wm Wheth er the and it is evid e nt that she apprehend s t h e ne of end e avou r ing to extricate hers e lf leo the most 'essitY pressing difficulties of her situat;.on. heth policy of the Imperial Government • expedient, is quite another aff 18 Austria wise,o r even may find that the bond She eiai air ms is not of m ore va l ue than the underetancling she Wouldshcleahralvyehcaovnefirsinomede: is but be that as it may, if paid for an alliance, she should t hi ng to sh ow f or it. Ite has purch ase d and altogether incredible that Austria went into a War which was provoked for the purposes of Prussian aggran disement without conditionsdefiniteam iti o ambition n a d n and consid ration that could b e i n some shape realised. Stii! this would appear to be nearly the case. Count Bismark seems t o h ave had ways and much his own and he is j us t the Al* • mister who would read European ocqui escence for assent. Itmay be indeed . that Austria reckoned upond it is if intervention, more than probable France that, England and had taken action in defence of Denmark, sue would have renounced an enagemewas left open, and perhaps left openhernt whichessi , with that end in view. As it expressly Bismark has got his is, of course work done upon credit , aim, w h at is more, he has hi e accompli ce, , by making Austria destroyed the credit that remained to her in Europe, Nevertheless, it is possiole to drive a hard bargain too far. If the Imperial Government is diecredited acid betrayed, it may yet prove a troublesome credi tor to Prussia. Now, again, and it may be for the last time, Austria stands at the parting of the WeYe. Either way she will have to make a sacrifice, and the chief question for her to consider is as to the company she chooses to travel with. If, as judg in g from her antecedents, is most likely, she elects to go with the Power that has committed her to its peril' one policy, Europe will immediately comptehen i d, what the step means, and her " nationalities" will rejoice over an ant of suicide. Her splendid army would then be virtually commanded from Berlin, and Prussia would become the leader of the Ger manic Confederation. But eventually Venetia would all the same have to be surrendered to Italy. No matter what secret treaties are signed, Prussia wo uld not venture to send a regiment to help to garrison the Quadrilateral when the French legions bad crossed the Alps. Boasting is cheap, and the Ge" man papers are suffered to use it freely ; but when words have to be translated into deeds, we shall hear another story. Prussia has done as much, and no more, than she was permitted to do. That is the sum of her vaunted exploits. She has acquired ter ritory which will hang like a mill-stone round her neck, and she has gained victories that Europe gay ° to her. She has been allowed to sow a storm that she may reap a whirlwind, and the whips she has been flourishing ab ou t w ill b e t urne d into scorpions for her own back. It will not take long to demon strate, even to the infatuation of Austria, that the spoliation of Denmark repr esen t s prophetically the segregation of Germany. 'When the King o f Prussia returns to Be r li n b e ex pects, it is sai d , to have the honour of entertaining the Czar, and if frequent personal communication could bring about a perfect u nd ers t an ding betwe en the three Powers which have taken it ni )n themselves to settle the affairs of the Contt new, their alliance—holy o r unholy—might be thought to be formidable. On the other ha nd, however, these repeated conferences may e indicatpre' an appreciation of app rox i ma t e d anger , or the Bence of obstacles to a sati s f ac t or y arrangelee nt. Never, certainly, did sovereigns meet together t o deliberate on a more st u p en d ous un d er t a king, an d the very calm that prevail s , th e s till ness and repos e that are everywhere visible, must be a source of eU" barrassment to them. They would know how, i ° deal with insurrections; if passion was runntng breast high they would be in th e ir element. But this silence, the absence of all agitation, end t " - quietude which reigns around, are not to be so easily explained and set at rest. Austria, it is tru e' should recollect a time.when the th ea tres of Ven ice were all closed, when the populati o n put on Wa rn ing attire, and when regula r ly ever y d a y mute Pro cessions passed through the streets, only pausing a moment before the pri so n i n w hi c h the pat,r l° , leader of a coming revoluti o n were con fi ned. "°,; that which may seem m arve ll ous t o Princes a n d . Ministers, who turn a deaf ear alike to the instr uc ; tion of history and the admoniti on of still rece n t events, is no enigma in the C a bi ne ts and count ries which are guided by a policy emanating from the will of the people; and th e G overnme nt of V ie nna, at all events, must be a ware th a t the voice cynic proclaimed in memorable words, " Austria e! brought matters to such an ex t rem ity that she WI" either rule up to the Alps, or Italy be free unto the Adriatic," has lost non e o f th e p o wer which o n l y paused in a career of vi c t or y t o avert a general holly and, nd, with a considerati on w hi c h h as been w ignored h°l7o in the attack upon Denmark, to p rurient the European equilibri um by sav ing an empire from imminent dissolution. COUNTRY MARKETS. There was a moderate attendance to-daY LIVERPOOL—FRIDAY. and the market opened very dull indeed; to•d~ut a little more inquiry appearing for wheat prices gained strength , al"! closed at a decline of Id per cental on the week. Flour met a slow demand, but prices firm. For oats and oatmeal the demand is still limited, but prices unchanged. I3eans an 4. peas commanded full rates. Indian corn proved dull of sale, and irregular in value. of the trade, STAMFORD—FRIDAY. Farmers are in the midst of the harvest, and sonie ge ed crops of wheat have been gathered. To•day's quotations: —White wheat, 42s to 48s; red, 39s to 43s per 36 stone* Barley, malting, —s to —s ; grinding, 26s to 29 8 per ci r * Oats, 19s to 25s per 24 stone. Beans, old, 408 to Pe r qr. ; new, 34s to 40s. WAKEFIELD—FRIDAY. The wheat trade was sluggish to-day, and the prices Of last week declined Is per qr. New sells slowly at 41s to 435. Spring corn fully maintained late rates. Averages for the week : Wheat . 722 qrs., at 43s 91d Oats — 8ar1ey......... 112 Peas Beans LINCOLN-FRIDAY. It is now about certain that wheat will scarcely be 012. average in this county—the quality is irregular. Oats and beans will not be satisfactory. Turnips a wretched crop• Rain is very much needed. r9g White wheat new, 46s to 50s i Barley, grinding.. 263 to 4 Red do. 39s to 44s Oats, old, .. 24s to fi6 B Old white 438 to 46s New do 20s to 230 Red do.. 38s to 42s f Beans. 37s to 418 Barley, malting.....--e to —s 1 leans, new 308 to 410 CORK—THURSDAY. The following were the quotations this morn i ng:'—R ed wheat, 8s Od to 8s 6d ; white, 8s 3d to 9s Od , barley, Id to Os Od ; oats, 58 10d to 68 3d ; black do., ös " to 65 Od ; bare, Gs 10d. BRISTOL SUGAR—FRIDAY. The market for raw sugars has assumed an air of firm: ness within the last day or two, greater than it has mai fested for a considerable period. Prices have advanced about is per cwt. Refiners' produce sells more freely at an advance of Gd to is per cwt. Rum quiet; sales have been confined to some Demeraras at about the prices of this daY week. 41.L4 LU...XJ..11.n J. Prices of Coal per Ton at tile close of the tiarket. s. d. North Pelton Gas... l3 9 Holywell - l5 0 Eden Main 17 6 o. d• Walls End. Braddyll's Hetton 17 9 Tunstall Tiaswell Caradoc lB 3 Ships at marks' Walls End. Hartlepool 18 0 East Hartlepool 18 0 N. elloe.. South Kelloe 18 0 Heugh Hall 13 0 Hetton 19 0 South Hetton 19 0 t, 55 ; sold, 45. Foreign Mail Packet List. MAILS DUE. Australia and Mauritius, vi a S ou th amp t on. ..Aug , 18 .. Sept. 12. via Marseilles Brazil and Cape Verde, by British packet........ Sept. 4. Cape of Good Hop e , A scens i on, and St. Helena.. Aug* 2 9 . Inina, Penang, and Singapore, via Southampton. Aug• 18. via Marseilles ...Aug% 21' Falkland Islands Gibraltar, via S o uth am pt on Aug. 18. India (Calcutt a ), an d C ey l on, via Southampton Aug . 18 via Marseilles Aug , 21 ' 'lndia (Bombay), via Southampton via Marseill es .... Aug. 20. Portugal.... Malta, Egypt, and Aden, v i a Southampton........ Aug. a: Sept. 4 . via Marseilles ........ Aug, 1 Newfoundland Oporto and Vig o 25 , U. S. and Briti s h N . A mer i ca, by Brit. packet..., Aug. by U.S. packet.... by Canadian packet ,0 " All parts of W es t I n di es , i nc l u di ng Chili, Peru, 1 Aug. 294 , California. and British Columbia.. THE AVERAGE CoST OF CORONERS' INQUESTRe'' The average coat of coroner's inquests last year was £ 3 . 21/ 5d each. In several counties the c oroDers are paid by salar ies. Births. CAMPBELL.----On the 19th in s t ,at Littlegrove, East Bar' net, Harts, the wife of A, IL Campbell, Esq., INMAN. —On th e 19th i nst., at 360 Oxford-street, W., Mrs' Edward F. I nman , o f a son. PARNELL.—On th e 17 th inst., at 13, Eryanston-square, the Hon. M rs . P arnell, of a son, M'NEILL.—On the 19th in s t., a t 26, queen's-gate, the wife of Malcolm M'Neill, E sq ., late 7Sth Highlanders, of a son, of a son. m aiT iage& CllOOKES_wm,,Ex.—on the 18th inst., at St. George's, w a iter Crookes, of Motcomb-street, .) 00 of Joseph Crookes, Esq ,of eldest daughter of Mr. G. Western, d gre_en, to Caroline , Soho. of G errard-street, Hanover - s qu are , 8 PI v . fr ,rsEY.—On the 17 t h i nst., at Brighton, S. G L . of Stockw e ll, and Egham, Surrey, 1).11 rister-at 19"vt Esq., , to Carolin e Ell en, eldest daughter of Major' Genera l Mousey, H.M.' s M adras Cavalry, FILCHER—heMr Deaths. K ING . —On the 17th inst., at Buckingham, George King, j .F. far the borough, aged 78. • goTG.—On the llth inst, at his residence, The IlermoneP William Brpoks Ki ng, E sq., formerly of Kingston, .I*"' ruitica, aged 76. MELusit.---On the 17th inst., at her residence, Addison" Lodge, Addison road, Mts. Harriett Mellish, relict of Colonel Henry Mellish, formerly of liodsaok Priorfr Nottinghamshire, and second daughter of Maria Ara— bella, relict, first, of Sir Duke Giffird, Bart„ and after wards of John Henry, Marquis of Lansdowne, aged 7 6 . MAY. —On the 13th inst., at Bray, county Wicklow, Ewa. Stephen May, late captain in the Inniskilling Dragooigt aged 51. MORGAL—On the 18th inst., at Tenby, Jane, the wife_of Thomas Morgan, Esq. London: Prira.,ed and Prbfished by WILLIAMANIAREWS, of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at Tim Sort Office No. U 2. Strand, the Precinct of the Savoy, in the unty of ailtl acie 7 c..7-Saturday, August 20, 1804