The Sun. — London, England, 1864-07-30 00:00:00

Military Rifle Competition, On ye aterday, the fifth day of the competition at Winl )led'on for the prize of £lOO offered by Gene ral:he irquis of Tweeddale, with a view of elicit ing the host military rifle, both breech and muzzle loading, the proceedings were brought to a close. The deck don in this case involved a series of expe riments c f the highest interest and importance, and in worki ug these out under favourable circum stances, in . the short interval elapsing since Monday last, a goc cl practical insight has been gained into the value 3f most of the inventions and adaptations from time to time submitted to the public by in ventors ar gunmakers, loud in praise of their own productio as. In many respects the results of the competiti on took the Council of the National Rifle Associat'am, and must have taken the public, by surprisr.J. No one, for instance, could have been prepared for the marvellous accuracy and rapidity of fire obtained from the Whitworth muzzle-load• ing rifle ; still less for the limited amount of success attendant on the shooting of the breech-loaders. The truth is that so severe a test as 440 rounds, of which 110 were fired continuously every day, had scarcely ever, if ever, been applied before ; and, when resorted to, it naturally found out all the weak places existing in the weapons, however highly prepared these might have been for the contest. The proceedings of the last two days were full of interest. Oa Thursday what at one time seemed the impossible feat of surpassing the performance of the Whitworth rifle was accomplished by the weapon in the hands of Mr Rigby, of Dublin. The time of shooting w as still in favour o f th e Whit worth, but Mr Rigby made a score cons id era bly larger. The former fired its rounds in 28 minutes 48 seconds, obtaining 31 ball's eyes, 42 centres, 19 enters, 0 ricochets, and 8 misses—total marks, 288. Mr Rigby occupied 37 minutes and 19 seconds in his shots, but made 36 bull's eye s, 44 centres, 15 outers, 0 ricochets, and but 5 misses—total marks, 306, or 18 beyond the number 2 ecorded for Mr Whitworth. Yesterday Mr Rigby completed his fourth period o f firing, and in his 100 shots, which occupied 41 minutes 9 seconds, made 22 bull's eyes, 50 centres, 21 °titers, 0 ricochets, and 7 misses, his total marks being 280. The subsequent ten shots for accuracy yicl ded a score of 26. It will be remembered that the other competitors, Mr Turner and Mr Boucher, relived from the contest after one or two trials, con- vinced that it would be hopeless to prolong their efforts against the Whitworth in the hands of such a skilful performer As Leace. Mr Rigby, however, persevered against what at first seemed hopeless odds, and made such unlooked-for progress as to show that little real difference existed in the wea- pons between which the straggle ultimately lay, and that with slight additional preparation and tsaining he might have won as much eclat as his eta stinguished rival. In describing the efforts made by Mr Rigby against Mr Whitworth's representa• tine it is only fair to add the substance of his own statement. According to this, he and Mr Boucher w :re the only persons who originally sent in their names as intending to compete. Unless a third name had been added to the list, the prize under these conditions must have been withdrawn, and no com petition would have taken place. A long interval elapsed before the secretary to the National Rifle :Association was in a position to announce that the en napetition would go on, and to mention the time at which it would take place. The period origi gin elly named as the limit for making entries passed meanwhile, and Mr Rigby, believing that the matter had fallen to the ground, abandoned his pre parations, and it was only on receipt of a telegram that the arm with which he has since made such excellent practice was rifled and completed for the contest. To the very end of the proceeding. the Whitworth rifle loaded with the same remark able facility as in the opening stages of the contest; and the members of the Council present, when its 440 rounds were completed, among whom were Lords Elcho and Ducie, tried some experiments with a view of ascertaining whether the bullet was at all likely to be displaced. They also shot with the rifle at the 800 yards' range, but in every re. spent its performances proved most satisfactory. At 1 the breech-loading range the Lumber of competitors, though stilt numerous, was further diminished on Thursday by the withdrawal of the Mont-Storm converted Enfield. This result was in some respects inevitable, because the gentlemen interested in the success of the patent, in their desire to comply with a suggestion attached to the conditions, adhered too closely to the notion of exhibiting a converted service weapon, and shot with the full length of barrel, the ordinary service bullets, &c. Other competitors, on the contrary, discarded military notions altogether, shortened their barrel by several inches where they thought this likely to improve its shootitig powers, used cartridges specially pre pared, and the new Mitford bullet, which is light. ened at the point. " Mont Storm" was also unsuc cessful in its handling; but to put in the scale against these disadvantages one result was achieved to which great importance is attached by its pro motors, This consisted in the proof afforded that miss fires and explosions are not likely to occur with the gun, however rapidly it may be die. charged. An allegation unfavourable to the gun in this respect had been put forward, and the patentees showed themselves even more anxious to refute this than to win the prize. Before relin quishing his position on the roll of comretitors, Mr. Brandlin, the manager of the Mont Storm works, claimed the right of firing his 100 rounds, not at the target, but into a pit, with a view to illustrate both its rapidity and perfect secu rity or action. The 100 rounds were completed in 13 minutes 30 seconds, and might have been fired in less, but for the regulation compelling him to put the gun to his shoulder at each discharge. There was no hitch of any kind in connection with this proceeding; and in illustration of the importance attached to the principle of the invention, irrespec tive of any particular weapon or cartridge to which it may hitherto have been applied, probably the largest private manufactory of arms in England, about to comm . :lee operations in Birmingham, is to make a prominent feature of the Mont-Storm breech in its productions. The Snider rifle—an invention also claiming to afford facilities for converting muzzle-loaders without weakening the arm—fired its 100 rounds on Thursday in 12 mine. 48 secs., making 7 bull's-eyes, 20 centres, 26 miters, 0 rico chets, 47 misses,—total marks, 144. Its 10 accuracy rounds produced 21 points. Yesterday its allotted number of rounds were fired in 14 mins. 28 sees., and the following score made :-13 bull's-eyes, 28 centres, 17 enters, and 42 misses ; total marks, 170. 26 marks were recorded for its 10 accuracy shots. Th e Snider rifle, in common with that advocated by Mr. Hew y, uses a central fire cartridge. con t a i n i ng its own ignition ; and it is contended on it s b e h a lf that the copper base of the cartridge, while pro tecting the fulminate from liability to accidental explosion, closes the breech-chamber more effectually then the greased wads in use in many breech-loading systems. On Thursday the Henry rifle discharged its 100 rounds in 16 rains. 4 secs., making 14 bull's eyes, 39 centres, 29 miters, and 18 misses ; total marks, 231. There was one missfire ; and its 10 accuracy shots yielded 30 points. Yesterday its 100 rounds were fired in 16 minutes 40 seconds, and the score was 19 bull's-eyes, 35 cen tees, 19 outere, 27 misses, 1 ricochet; total marks, 219. As on the previous day there was one miesfire, and its accuracy shots gave an average of enters. The performances of Green's breechloader were very dissimilar on the two consecutive days. On Thursday the 100 rounds took 27 minutes and 13 seconds to fire, in which time 3 bull's-eyes, 13 cec t oes , 22 eaters, and 62 misses were recorded, giving a total score of 95. There were eight miss fires in the 100 rounds; one o f t h e cartridges also broke, and had to be drawn with a rod and knife— a very delicee and tedious operation. Yesterday its 100 rounds were all shot off in 20 minut es 16 secon d s, and the score included 13 bull's-eyes, 30 centres, 21 (niters, 1 ricochet, and 36 misses, making the total number 184. On this occesion there were no miss fires. The cooper rifle yesterday shot through its rounds in 16 min. 32 sec., scoring three bull's-eyes, 21 centre?, 21 enters, S ricochets, and 56 misses, ;.t total 115 mar ks. The 10 accuracy shots L hailed to strike h e target in i72st , lnce. This closed the competitive firing, but some experimental shots were afterwards tried by Lord Elcho, with results, as far as the weapons were concerned, of a very conflicting character. On the part of the Council Lard Elcho assured those who were present the details of the shooting under all the different heads would be taken into consideration at the next meeting, and that no time would be lost in making known their decision as to the parties who had en titled themselves to the prize. The competitors on their part were very warm in their acknowledgments of the perfect impartiality and great courtesy with which the shooting had been conducted from first to last, under the superintendence of Capt. Page (Lon - don Scottish) and Capt. Knight, 19th Regiment. The general impression carried away by those who witnessed the contest from first to last was that although singular progress has been made, both in the manufacture and handling of muzzle-loading rifles, the development of the breech■leaking system has not been commensurate. The shooting of nearly all the breech-loaders was wild in its cha racter, and there was not one of those tried which did not exhibit some defect of a more obvious nature. We are just coming to breech-loaders, it is true, but the particular breech-loader for military purposes has still to come apparently. In offering these remarks on the result of the competition, it is only right to add that the breech-loading rifles of Mr. Westley Richards being small-bores were ex cluded from the contest. Another rifle called the breech-lock rifle, as to which considerable curiosity is felt, was prevented by unexpected circumstances from entering in time. This latter weapon is re• presented as capable of being fired 12 times per minute, and as using a flanged copper cartridge, possessing peculiar properties. Among other points this is said to be inexpensive, water-proof, flame. proof, capable of being loaded in the dark, and without residuum when fired. It will no doubt be brought forward at the breech-loading competition early next year, the terms of which the Council of the National Rifle Association have it in contem plation shortly to announce, with s view of direct ing the inventive genius of the gunmakers in the interval to those vital points which hardly seem yet to have been sufficiently studied. The unfortunate guardsman Cooper was by no means in as satisfactory a state yesterday afternoon as on some of the other days since his accident. There were symptoms of feverishness, his pulse was rapid, and his breathing much oppressed, though his eye still continued bright and his intellect clear. Whether owing to internal effusion, or to whatever other cause, his heart appears to have changed its position, and to beat now at the right side. Archaeological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, FOURTH DAY. Yesterday the Archtcologists migrated from Warwick, the headquarters of the Congress of 1864, to Lichfield. Although the ancient city is neither within the county of Warwick nor the diocese to which it is attached (Worcester), the locale was too near the far famed cathedral of Lich- field, with its three ornamental spires, to be left out of the programme, and accordingly it was arranged to visit it yesterday, Professor Willis having under taking to be chaperon, as he has been the guide and instructor of the arch mologists in visits to other cathedrals and ecclesiastical buildings of note. The rain of Thursday having passed off, the party mus tered strong, and, a special train having been put on for their accommodation they were landed safely at the Liehfield station of the South Staffordshire Railway soon after 11 o'clock. They were wel comed to Lichfield by the ringing of the cathedral bells, and it being market day the old town wore its most busy aspect. Lichfield, besides its magnificent cathedral, which has been BO recently restored, has other attractions for the archmalogists, among which may be mentioned some fine old specimens of half-timbered houses. In the market place is a a statue of Dr. Johnson—placed there by Chancel lor Law. Johnson was a native of Lichfield, and there is a tablet to his memory in the library of the cathedral. In the south transept of the cathedral is also a monument to David Garrick, by Westma cott. The visitors on reaching the railway station proceeded at once to the Guildhall, under the escort of Mr Beresford Hope, where they were received by the m a r — 411. T-T.II) et— ___ D lion. Having mustered in the Assembly-room, Mr J. B. HerE introduced Professor Willis, who, he said, had kindly undertaken to address them on the subject of the cathedral before they entered on an actual examination of the sacred building itself. Professor WILLIS then addressed the meeting. He commenced by remarking that a few years ago he was a bad one to remember dates, and there- fore he always spoke indefinitely in alluding to past events. In the course of some excavations that were being made in the work of the restoration of the cathedral it happened that the workmen came upon the foundation of some old walls connected together, and it was plain that these were the remains of ancient churches that had stood on the foundations of the present cathedral. This was not an uncommon fact,but rather the contrary. With the assistance and cooperation of one of the canons of the cathedral he had been able to trace ont these old foundations, and he exhibited a draw -1 ing showing their extent and character. For full information on this subject he referred his hearers to the Archeological Journal, in which pnblicatioa particulars of these discoveries had been given. Ac cording to his usual practice on these occasions, he would first give them an account of the history of the cathedral, and of its present state, and then would point out to them in the cathedral itself the characteristics which would enable them to divide the building into the • different stages of its erection. The learned professor then described the various parts of the building, as he subsequently pointed them out to the visitors at the cathedral. 'lie nave was of a differemt style to th© eastern end of the building, and some portions of it were so much like Westminister Abbey as to load to the opinion that both were built about the same time. Unfortunately he historical documents connected with Lichfield Cathedral were very meagre, and they had little to depend upon for correct information in this respect. After some discursive remarks on the architecture of the present building Professor Willis showed the course of the old foundations, and said that great difficulty had been experienced in tracing them with accuracy, and on account of their having been partially destroyed both in making barialplaces and at the time when the restorations were carried on there, and excava tions were made for laying down pipes for a heating apparatus for the cathedral, The patron Saint of the cathedral was St. Chad, and the shrine of the saint once stood in the Ladye Chapel. They all knew s how the cathedral had been defaced by the Puritans in the time of the civil war. The cathedral had, in fact, been attacked and defended as a fort ress, and consequently suffered great dilapidation at that time. Having spoken of the different por tions of the building as they existed before the res toration carried oat by Wyatt, the learned profes. ear commented on certain parts of those restorations, expressing his disapproval of the plan of throwing open the whole building from end to end and of putting the organ out of sight, where, also, it could only be heard imperfectly. Mr, BERESFORD ELOPE said that however they might differ from Professor Willis in reference to the closing portion of his remarks, he was sure they would all agree with him in thanking the Professor for his very able discourse. (Applause.) Mr. C. WINSTON next read a paper on the an cient stained glass in the windows of the cathedral. This glass was brought from the Abbey of Hercken rode, in Belgium, and was manufactured in the 16th' century, at a time when the heart of glass staining was considered to be at the highest point of per fection. Mr. Winston considered that beautiful as these specimens were, they were not so effective in their present position, at least some of them—es they would have been in the situations for which they were originally designed. The Rev. Mr. ANDREWS then made some remarks on the old Palace at Lichfield, which with some diligence he had traced out, and, in a drawing which he had prepared, ho pointed out the situas tine of the venous parts of the old building. An adjournment then ,took piece for luncheon' ME SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, JULY 30, 1864. after which they repaired to the cathedral, and were conducted round the building by Professor Willis, who pointed out its architectural features and illustrated his remarks of the morning. He showed how the pointed architecture of more mo• dern dates had been engrafted on the original Norman. The central or rood spire having been thrown down in the civil war by the artillery of the besiegers was rebuilt in the time of Bishop Hackett or his successor. The open screen by Skidmore, of Coventry, was of similar character to that placed last year in Hereford Cathedral, and which was shown at the Exhibition of 1862. The restorations at Lichfield were completed in 1861, and the cathed dral reopened on the 22d of October in that year. Having spent some time in inspecting the cathed ral the party retired and returned to Warwick at 5.30. In the evening there was a meeting at the Courthouse, Warwick, for the reading of papers. To-day will be devoted to Will Shakespere• After a morning meeting at Warwick there will be an excursion to Charlecote-park and Stratford•on- Avon. death. I was sent for on Friday, the 18th of March, and found her dead. After her death a post-mortem examination was held. On opening the chest we discovered three of the ribs on the right side slightly fractured, but not displaced. Those ribs were immediately under the severe contusion. The immediate cause of death was, in my opinion, severe spasmodic seizure interfering with the function of all the organs, especially with that of the heart. There was great distension of the large bowels arising from the spasmodic seizure, and the heart was slightly diseased. She had had spasms on her heart before, and I attended her for six days in February for it. I think the injuries she had received would predispose her to such attacks, and would impede recovery. The effect on her nervous system of the injuries was very marked. Dr Green stated he was called in to see Mrs Hunt a little before 9 on the Sunday evening, and corroborated Mr Car - ter's evidence, speaking more especially to the severe nature of the wound on the back of her head and to her prostrated condition. Such a shock to her nervous system, coupled with loss of blood, made her recovery a matter of doubt. Mr Knowles, surgeon, stated he vas called in at half-past 8 to see Mrs Hunt, and gave the sane evidence with respect to her state. Dr Charles Murray Humphrey, vho was also present at the post mortem examination,after confirming the evidence of the previous witnesses, was of opinion that the attack of spasms would be in all probability more easily produced in a person of the age and somewhat diseased organisation of Mrs Hunt after suchian attack as she had been exposed to, and that the injuries she had received would render her less likely to resist a spasmodic seizure. The last piece of evidence produced was the deposition of Mrs Hunt, taken before the Mayor of Cambridge a few days before her death ; and as an objection to its admissibility was urged by Mr Naylor, on the ;round that the words of the statute 11 and 12 Vic., c. 42, e. 17, were against the re ception of a deposition taken upoi another charge than the one immediately before the jury, his Lordship cited and relied upon It. Beeston (Dearsley's C. C., 405), which, as he said, was exactly analogous u the present case, remov ing therefore any difficulty the section of the Act appealed to by Mr Naylor might have presented. Before addressidg the jury Mr Naylor cited from 1 Lewin's C. C., 161 (Johnson's case), contending, on the strength of it, that if the cause of death be partly traceable to injuries and partly to natural or other causes, a prisoner is entitled to an acquittal, The learned counsel's objection was overruled, the case cited being, in his lordship's opinion, bad law in the face of recent decisions. Mr Naylor had not finished his address to the jury on behalf of the prisoner at the time our parcel was despatched. MIDLAND CIRCUIT—Lmcour, July 29. Mr Justice Blackburn, having finished all the civil busi ness yesterday afternoon, this morning tried the following case, which is curiously illustrative of the rural simplicity prevailing in the northern parts of this country. William Jones, Joseph Harris, and John Snufflebottom were tried upon a indictment, four counts of which charged them with obtaining money by false pretences, and the re maining three with conspiring together by certain false pretences and indirect means to defraud certain persons therein named of their money. Mr Vincent Thompson conducted the prosecution; Mr Sergeant O'Brien defended Jones; and Ur Cave appeared for Harris and Shnffiebottom, The evidence was the primers were seen in a light cart driving into Brigg market on the morning of the 21st April. When they got to the market-place the cart stopped, and Jones soon began to sell half-crowns for 25., florins for is 6d, and shillings fur Gd, the coins offered being in all instances good ones. He thea began to offer scarf pins for sale at is apiece, stating that those who bought them would receive back their money, and a reward of Gd for making the purchase. This was dons accordingly, the purchasers getting back is 6d for their shilling, and being also per mitted to keep their pins. When by these and similar means a large crowd had been collected the prisoner Jones produced a watch, which he opened, and into the case of which he appeared to have put several half-crowns and two sovereigns. He then offered the watch and its contents for £3 108., reducing the price gradually to £:, when a pur chaser appeared, paid hie £2 and had the watch and its contents handed over to him. It was rumoured in the crowd that this man had got £3 with the watch, and several purchasers immediately came forward who bought watches, into which the prisoner Jones had appeared to put gold and silver coins, at prices varying from £1 to £2. Of course when the purchasers examined their purchases, they found no gold or silver coins, but only pence, in the watchcase. Murmurs then arose in the crowd, and the prisoner Jones ordered Harris to drive on. This was attempted to be done, but the crowd surrounded the cart and stopped it, and the prisoners were all taken into custody. Neither Harris, who was sitting in the cart, nor Shuffiebottom, who was walking about, took any active part in the sale. Mr Sergeant O'Brien submitted that there was no case on the counts for false pretence, and _ His Lordship suggested that the casehad betterbe confined to the counts for the conspiracy, on the ground that no per son in his senses could have believed that the prisoners were selling £2 10s and a watch for £2. Mr Sergeant O'Brien then addressed the jury in a very humorous speech, which set the court in roars of laughter. Mr Cave having cteclined to add anything to what the learned sergeant had said, 1118 up, auo. the jury acquitted all the prisoners. (Before Mr Justice Keating.) Martha Eason was indicted for the wilful murder of her female child at Whaploth. _ After a short deliberation the jury returned a verdict of not guilty, apparently much to the surprise of a crowded court. David Mop was indicted for the wilful murder of Simon Cote, at Fleet, on the 3d December, 1860. Mr Kline prosecuted. The prisoner was undefended. The facts of this case were very simple. The prisoner and the deceased were sleeping in the same ward in the workhouse at Fleet, when the prisoner, who appears to have previously secreted a knife in his bed, went to Cote's bed side and cut his throat, falling down himself immediately after in an epileptic fit. There was no provocation for the act, and no previous quarrel. The prisoner had been for some time tinder medical care. He was subject to epileptic fits, and although regarded as mad and so returned to the Lunacy Commissioners, was considered harmless and not put under any restraint. About three weeks before the at tack upon Cote the prisoner had exhibited the first symptoms of violence in tearing his bedclothes upon his recovery from an epileptic fit. After cutting Cote's throat, the prisoner became decidedly mad, and had only recovered sufficiently to be put upon his trial now. Cote's wound went on well for a short time, but erysipelas supervened and caused his death. The jury acquitted the prisoner on the ground of insanity, and he was ordered to be detained in confinement during her Majesty's pleasure. TILE CORRINGICA/I CASE. Martha Howell was indicted for shooting at Emma Johnson, at Corringbam, me the 17th of June, with intent to murder her. Mr Fitzjames Stephen conducted the prosecution ; and Mr Sergeant O'Brien defended the prisoner. The case presented very peculiar circumstances. The pri soner is a schoolmistrass, li v i ng at Springthorpe, an d the prosecutrix lived at Gainsborough, but was in the h abit of going over to Springthorpe and other places in th e neigh bourhood to give music lessons. She had been acc ustomed to give lessons to the prisoner's pupils, and at such times had usually slept in the prisoner's house with h er. Some time back some little dispute had arisen betwee n p risoner and the prosecutrix, the origin of which wa s not very clear. It either arose from the prosecutrix having given lessons at another school at Springthorpo which the pri soner regarded as having been set up in opposition to her, or because the prosecutrix had refused to side with the pri soner in some quarrel the latter had had with some rela tives, and had attempted to remain an friendly terms with both parties. Whatever may have been the cause, the visits of the prosecutrix to the prisoner had become less frequent, and on the l as t occas i on or two wh en the prose cutrix had slept at the p r i soner ' s house, the prose cutrix had come to her in the d ea d o f n ight w ith a pistol and had threatened to shoot he r un l ess th e ir former in timac y was thoroughly re-established. In consequence of those occur rences the prosecutrix had refused to visit the house of the prisoner again,and,although they were not entirely estranged the relations betwee n th em were far less cordia l than the y had been. On th e d ay i n qu estion the p risoner had gone with two of h er pup il s to Gansborough, and, having seen the p rosecu t r i x . ha d induced her to accompany them part o f th e wa y back to Sp rin g thor P e. On arriving at a field gate near Corringhara the prisoner had again pressed the prosecutrix to return to her house, and, on being refused, said, "I'll shoot you." The prosecutrix said, " No, don't ;" but the prisoner pulled a pistol from her pocket and fired it in the face of her fiend. The latter fell down, but, recovering soon after, got up, and, seeing the pistol in her hand feeling in her pocket, ran away. The prisoner went home and sent for a neighbor, who found her very excited. She told this neighbour that she had shot Miss Johnson, but was sorry she had not killed her. Her intention was. she said, to shoot her friend first and then herself, and to die at her feet. These statewents she repeated to the constables, when she was apprehended, adding that the pistol was loaded with a thimbleful and a half of powder, some sliot. and a ball. The forehead of the prosecutrix was scotched by the powder, but she had suffered no further in- jury. Mr Sergeant O'Brien, for the defence, commented on the peculiarity of the case and the absence of any sufficient mo tive for the offence. He contended the prisoner had no intention of taking her friend's life, and that the statement that the pistol was loaded with shot and ball could not be relied upon. No trace had been found of any shot or ball. It was more probable that the whole thing was a pretence and a sham—a strange, wild de , Ace to bring back the wan dering affections of her friend, and that no injury was in tended. The jury were absent from ,court in deliberation about half an hour, and upon their return found the prisoner Guilty of shooting at the prosecutris with intent to do her grievous en the bo prisoner, d il y harm a slight wow an, dressed in black,who had kept her handkerchief to her face during the whole of the trial, was asked what she :Attu to say why sentence should not be passed upon her, she rose and exclaimed with some vehemence, " I did not intend to hurt her, I turned the pistol on elle side so that it should not hit her. Her falling down had nothing to do with the shot ; she had crossed the road before she fell. The pistol was loaded with powder, shot, and a bullet, but the shot and bullet had fallen out, and were found in my pocket. I will swear there was no ball in the pistol when I fired it. Her face was opposite to mine. I heard her say, ' Don't shoot,' and my heart retracted. I could not shoot her, and turned the pistol suddenly from her. This is the truth and the whole truth, so help me God." His Lordship, in passing sentence, observed that her offence was ono which was punishable with penal servitude for life. Still, the circumstances of ithe case induced him to look leniently upon it. He could not give credit to her assertion that she turned the pistol aside. That assertion was inconsistent with the mark of fire on Miss Johnson's forehead. [The prisoner (interrupting)—We were so near together, my lord.] Nor was the assertion that the pistol had no ball consistent with her statement made at the time that she had loaded it with shot and bullet. [The pri soner (again interrupting)—l had only two balls; one I put in the pistol, but it must have fallen out, for both were found in my pocket] He should believe the statement made at the time rather than that made then. Her attorney had not given that idea to her counsel, or, if he had, her counsel, with that skill, ability, and experience which dis tinguished him, had rejected it as not likely to find favour with the jury. One circumstance of mitigation which bad been urged was the inadequate motive of her act. Expe. rience, however, showed that the most atrocious crimes had often been committed from inadequate motives, and, in deed, it was by no moans clear that her real motive had been discovered. She had been convicted of shooting at the prosecutrix with intent to do her grievous bodily harm, and the sentence of the Court upon her was that she be kept in penal servitude for four year''. This case concluded the business at Lincoln. SURREY SESSIONS-July 29. At the Surrey Sesrions, yesterday, before Mr J. E. John son, chairman, Henry Nash, a well-attired and respectable looking middle aged man, was indicted for having, on the 6th July inst., committed an indecent attempt upon Miss Mary Moody. In a second count the defendant was charged with a common assault. Mr Robinson, with whom was Mr Ribtou, appeared (instructed by Mr L, Crombie, the solicitor to the London and South-Western Railway Company) for the prosecution —the accused was defended by Mr Sleigh and Mr J. Thompson, instructed by Mr Eve, of Aldershot. Mr Robinson, in opening the case on the part of the pro secution, stated that complainant was the daughter of Mr Moody, the curator of the Museum at Winchester, She was on her return home from a visit into Suffolk, whither she had been for the benefit of her health, when the assault complained of was alleged to have been committed. The prosecutrix, apparently 19 years of age, having been sworn, stated, in reply to interrogatories put by Mr Ribton, that on Wednesday, the 6th inst., she left the Waterloo station by a second class carriage of the HO train. The defendant entered the same carriage shortly after she had taken her seat and offered to place the parasol she held in her hand on the seat opposite that she was occupying. She declined to allow him to do so, and the defendant then opened a conversation with her by asking her the reason she wore spectacles. She replied that she had always done so. A woman got into the carriage, and defendant appeared to have dropped off to sleep, and nothing further transpired until the woman left the train at the Surbitoa station. The defendant then questioned her as to how old she was, but she did not answer the inquiry. The defendant then laid himself at full length on the seat opposite to her, and there remained staring her full in the lace. The prosecutrix then stated that she began to feel nervous, and rose from her seat to open the window of the carriage with a view to get out, the train at that moment having scarcely got into motion. The defendant said, "Do not get out," and she closed the door and resumed her seat. The defen dant wanted to close the window, but she objected, and stood up to prevent his doing so. While she was making the attempt to open the window she felt the defendant's, hand upon her shoulder. She moved, as if annoyed, and immeoiately afterwards she felt his arm around her waist, She moved again, and then he put his aim quite round her waist, and then she felt her dross quietly raised in front. She then turned round, and, taking up her parasol and bag, opened the carriage door and got out upon the ledge that runs from one carriage to another. Some one pulled her by the waist, and she found herself in another carriage, but that was after she had been carried a considerable distance, hanging on by the ironwork of the carriage. and held up by Mr Stokcs, and he and a young man named Young gave an alarm ; and the train was stopped by the guard, and she was put into another carriage. On arriving at the Farnborough Station she gave the defendant into custody on the charge of an indecent assault. The Chairman summed up the evidence with his usual care and minuteness, and the jury retired at five o'clock, and after a deliberation of 20 minutes returned into court with a verdict of Guilty on the second count of the indict ment—that for a common assault. The Chairman sentenced the defendant to be imprisoned and kept to hard labour for the term of nine calendar months. ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE, NORFOLK CIRCUIT-CA3IBRIDGE, July 29. William Morley Wallis was indicted for the milful mur der of Maria Hunt, at Cambridge, on the 28th of February, 1864. There were also two other indictments against the prisoner—one for an assault on Maria Hunt, with intent to murder, and another for an assault upon Sally Harris Walker, 'with intent to murder. The counsel engaged upon the charge of murder were Mr Sergeant Tozer, Mr Newton, and Mr Abdy for the prose ' cution for tho prisoner, Mr Naylor. Upon the other two ; _ Tr;l l ‘. f". tSa ..~.~.. b .... ~ z ' r ' -' prosecution; Mr Naylor for the prisoner, The trial excited very great interest in this town from the peculiar circurestr.nces of the case, from the position of the parties, and from the nature of the evidence proposed to be offered. The fact; as detailed by the learned Sergeant, were those : —That on the 28th of February (Sunday) Mrs Hunt and Mrs Walker, two old women of the ago of 78 and 70 re spectively, who lived together in a cottage called Prospect Cottage, situated between Prospect-row and Melbourne place, on the north aide of Parker's place,were in the house about half-past 7 in the evening, Mrs Walker being upstairs in a bedroom and Mrs Hunt downstairs, their servant girl, aged 16, having just gone down from Mrs Walker's room to see after Mrs Huut, and having very recently fastened the front and back doors of the cottage. While the girl was thus engaged Mrs Walker, who was in the room above, heard a noise as of some one ascending the stairs and called out, " Whoever you are, don't frighten. me," upon which Mrs Hunt f aid to the girl, " Take her up a candle ; she's 'frightened," and then Mrs Walker heard steps as of some one descending. The girl on opening the door found a man with his face covered with black, who rushed into the room with something bright in his hand, pushed the girl out, and then commenced a murderous assault on Mrs Hunt, as de tailed by the medical evidence, from the effects of which she died on the 18th March. He then proceeded to attack Mrs Walker in the way detailed in her evidence. The girl ran to call assistance, and the neighbours on coming in found Mrs Hunt on the ground covered with blond, and in the house were found a man's hat, with an oilcloth mask, and another piece of the same oilcloth inside it, and also a knife, and an undertaker's cloak. Footsteps as of a man without his boots were found in a garden adjoining to Mrs Hunt's house, and a bludgeon loaded in a peculiar way was found in a passage near on the Monday morning. The evidence against the prisoner went to show that he returned to Cam bridge from Granchester about 6 in the evening of the 28th, having a cloak on his arm, and was seen in prospect-row about half-past 7 with the same cloak. At a quarter past 8 a young man without a hat was found hiding in the pas sage of a publichouse in Prospect-row, and on being inter rogated walked away, but so noiselessly that the witness imagined he had no boots on. Another witness about half past found a young man strongly resembling the prisoner in a passage leading oat of the East-road, close to the pri soner's father's house, where the prisoner lived. The young man was without a hat, and was stooping down in an odd way, and, after several inquiries which the young man evaded, the witness at last found out he was fastening his boot. At the house of the prisoner's father were found several pieces of oilcloth, which corresponded with the oil cloth mask bound in Mrs Hunt's house, and a rough crape mask with two eyeholes. There was also found a ladle and lampblack and apiece of lead, with regard to which a cut ous piece of evidence was brought to light. The bludgeon, which was found, had been leaded by being drilled down the centre, and by two saw cuts at right angles being made down it, so that the lead was of a peculiar shape. His Lord. ship had the outer wood removed by a carpenter in court, and the shape of the lead on the bludgeon exactly corre sponded with the piece of lead fcund, as if the piece found had originally been at the end of the bludgeon. The pri soner, when in gaol, had sent a letter to his mother con- . ... . cealed in the cork of a beer-bottle, containing the words, " Try and procure a witness that was at our house at 8 o'clock I" Mrs Walker, who was assisted into court, and was placed on the bench between his Lordship and the jury, said, — When the servant-girl went downstairs with the candle I heard some one heavy coming upstairs. On my calling out, I heard the steps going down quicker than they came up, and then Mrs Hunt shrieked, and the girl ran out calling murder. I managed to get round to the window from my chair, and I called out for help, and then I felt a heavy blow at the back of my head. I got behind the curtain, and the man continued beating me, and hit me again over the head, and then I sank down in the chair till the neigh bours came in. Mr James Carter, a surgeon, practising at Cambridge— Had attended Mrs llunt occasionally. Sho was a healthy woman, aged 78. On the 28th of February I was sent for to see her, and found she had received severe bruises in her head and on the upper part of the chest in front. There were several wounds on the face and on the head. There was a very severe contusion on the right side of the chest. On the face the wounds consisted of a cut across the nose and two on the lips and one upon the scalp. These were bleeding profusely, The right hand was very much s.xolien, and at the back of her head were punctured wounds. The ulna was fractured near the wrist joint. Certainly some, if not all, the wounds about the face were produced by some such blunt instrument as the bludgeon produced. The punctured wounds might have been produced by the knife now produced. She had lost a good deal of blood. I appre hended a fat a l resu l t, an d continued to attend her, and con sidered her life in danger for some days. Her condition then unproved, a n d b y my sanction she was examined before t h e tnagistrates in bed. She was not injured by the examination. I saw her the day following, but not again till after ber The Emperor Maximilian in Mexico, (From the Times Correspondent.) MExico, June 28. Their Majesties have certainly met with a glorious reception from the inhabitants of the capital, and this strikes one the more forcibly, as never upon any previous occasion have Mexicans shown them- selves either demonstrative or enthusiastic. On the morning of Saturday, the 11th, 150 carriages filled with well dressed ladies, the first families in Mexico, accompanied by 300 gentlemen on horseback, left the city in full procession, to greet the Royal couple a league on the other side of Guadalupe, the village where they were to pass the night previous to their entry into the capital. Speeches were made, ad dresses presented, and the procession then fell in with the Royal cortege. The road was lined with carriages three and four deep, and the Emperor and Empress made their entry into the village of Guadalupe amid the most enthusiastic " Vivas" of their new subjects, and, I am happy to add, a hearty cheer from some of her Majesty's subjects. On the following morning the 12th of June, a day for ever memorable in the annals of Mexican history, their Majesties made their entry (and it may truly be said to have been a triumphal one) into the city of Montezuma. The streets through which they passed had been tastefully decorated, the windows and bal conies were crowded with epectators, and the plaza, said to be the largest in the world, was so crammed that you might literally have walked from one side to the other upon the heads of the people. Never was such a scene witnessed in Mexico; the enthu- siasm was intense, and the inhabitants, for once at least, have forfeited all claim to be considered any longer an undemonstrative race. Their Majesties, after hearing Te Deuni at the cathedral, at once proceeded to the Palace. In the afternoon they drove out in an open carriage unaccompanied by a single soldier—a thing unheard of among Presidents—and were received everywhere with the utmost demonstrations of joy. The re,.. joicings were kept up for three days, and during the nights of Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday the whole tow❑ was brilliantly illuminated. Oa Sun day, the 19th, a grand ball was given by the corpo ration, at which upwards of 3,000 persons were pre sent, their Majesties, if possible, adding to the popu larity they had already acquired by walking about the room between the dances, and entering into conversation with the different guests without the formality of any previous introduction. The fol lowing anecdote, for the truth of which I can vouch, will go further to prove their popularity among the lower class than whole pages of assertions :—On the day after their arrival their Majesties, having gone on foot and alone to vi. , it the cathedral, were rather surprised. when about to return, to find their pro gress very considerably impeded by a large crowd which had collected round the doors of the church and in the pieta to greet them upon their coming out. An officer present suggested that a guard should be sent for to clear the way, but this his Majesty peremptorily declined, and the royal couple were amply repaid for any little inconvenience they might have been put to by hearing from all sides— ' " These are true Princes ! How unlike those wretched Presidents, who could never move out unless ac companied by an escort of soldiers to write down those who came in their way !" I have seen larger gatherings of people and heard louder cheering, but I have never witnessed a more cordial reception than their Majesties met with from the inhabitants of Mexico. The Emperor is employed from morning to night in making himself acquainted with persons and things, and has already infused a degree of energy into the different public offices which, to those ac customed to old Mexican routine, appears perfectly marvellous. Several objectionable appointments made by the Regency have been cancelled. His great desire is evidently to rally round the Throne the moderate and respectable men of all parties, to discountenance all extremes, and to avail himself of talent and honesty wherever they can be found. Already have two commissions been named—the one to report upon the finances of the country, its resources, probable revenues, and the mode of taxa tion that ought to be adopted; the other, to re. organise the army and decide upon the means best calculated to effect the speedy pacification of the country; in fact, the quiet, methodical and business-like manner in which he has set to work has inspired every one with confidence, and many who at one time were inclined to believe that it was almost beyond the power of man to pro duce order out of such a state of chaos are now sanguine of success. From the interior we have no news of importance A small French expedition has been sent to the city of Duranza, but whether permanently to occupy it is not known. At Matamoras, Cortina has been committing the most unheard-of atrocities. Three or four Frenchmen had been shot by his orders, and so little security was there for persons or property that foreigners generally were making their escape as fast as they could. Why this port has not been occupied by a French force is inexplicable, more especially as Juarez and his party cannot derive less than from 300,000 to 400,000 dole. a month from the revenues there collected. Rumours are afloat, but which require confirma tion that Urn& has sent in his adhesion. He is the only man of the least respectability who still adheres to the Juarez party. It is well known that his sym pathies have always been in favour of intervention ! what he feared was conquest, and it i s p re t ty certa i n thao he only waits a favourable opp or t un it y t o abandon a cause which no good or honest man can any longer conscientiously support. The cultivation of cotton is attracting much at tention in the State of Yucatan. In 1862 the amount exported was only 240 000 lb. The prices obtained in the Havannah and elsewhere, however, were so remunerative that several landed proprietors determined to turn their attention to the subject, and the consequence was, in the following year 1,200,0001 b. was export e d, an d t hi s year i t is ex pected that the produce would be nearly 3,00,00001 b On the 26th a conducta started for the coast with over 4,000,1)00 dais, and the branch bank of the London and South American Banking Company will open for business. All this shows a revival of confidence. Trade has never been so brisk, and altogether I think it may be safely affirmed that Mexico has at length go!, to the turning of the ' long lane,' and that a brighter future may be very safely predicted. [ADVERTISEMENT.]—HoIIoway's Pills.—Dangerous Ill nesses.—The most marked success has so often attended trials of theso Pills that no invalid should despair of obtain ing at least souse alleviation, if not the thorough cure of his malady, from their purifying and strengthening v irtues. Hero is the language of one who speaks conscientiously from vast experience of past suffering :—" Before I took your Pills I knew no moment's ease for years : my stoma, head, and nerves kept me in continual misery my appetite was gone, my digestion most infirm ; both in mind and b od y ' I felt completely shatte.ed. Now I rejoice to say , all this is changed ; I can eat, digest, shiep, aid walle as we ll as met men P1K,79 rohuit thn raysdf," SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS, TIMES.—Her Majesty's Message was yesterday delivered to a Parliament which, though its mem bers may have been as laborious as usual, has not produced in the present Session many measures of great public importance. The Legislature follows the instincts of the public, and takes greater interest in discussing questions of foreign policy and further ing the material improvement of the country than in making reforms in our laws and institutions. This tendency of the Session just closed is re-acted in the Royal Message. There are more than the usual number of references to international quese tions, and the rest of the Message is devoted to con gratulating the two Houses on the prosperity of the country and the empire. The few new laws to which it alludes are of the most practical character, such as may be enacted by a contented people care less of political theories and abhorring organic change. As might be expected, the Danish question has the first place. The Session has been almost exactly co-extensive with the war by which Den mark has been crushed. In the early days of February the Allies attacked the Dannewerke, and in the present week the Danish Plenipotentiary has had his first interview with the Prussian and Austrian Ministers preparatory to the new Con ference, in which Denmark will obtain peace by the cession of everything that is demanded of her. A melancholy passage in European history, a series of events which have engrossed the attention of the country for eo long, could not be passed over without notice, and the recent acceptance of the Ministerial policy by the House of Commons makes it more easy for the Crown to speak with dignity on the subject. As the House has formally approved the determination of the Government to remain at peace, the Queen can be satisfied with expressing her regrets that the endeavours to bring about a reconciliation between the belligerents failed, and that the hostilities which had been suspended during the negotiations were resumed. It is no more than just that Her Majesty should expressly state that these endeavours were made in concert with the Emperor of the French, the Emperor of Russia, and the King of Sweden. The presumption of all foreigners and of a good many Englishmen has been that this country was pledged in some especial manner to support the Danish claims, and could not justly hang back, even when other neutrals refused their support. The fact is that though a somewhat excessive zeal on the part of the Foreign-office may have given colour to these opinions, they have no real foundation. As has been repeatedly shown, the action of England was entirely free, and neither at the outset of the dispute nor at the close was she in any way bound to interfere alone. It is the best answer to misrepresentations both at home and abroad to state that what was done was in concert with the other neutral Powers, and that their ostensible policy was as much thwarted by the failure of the negotiations as our own. As these are the last Royal words which will probably be uttered in public on this unhappy affair, and as they will be read in every capital of Europe, it is a satisfaction to perceive that they have placed the negotiations in their true light. The Royal Message then turns to a more agreeable subject. The re cognition of the Greek revolution, the selection of a King for the bewildered little State, and the trans ference to Greece of the Septinsular Republic have been among the happiest acts of Lord Palmerston's Government. We could not have gone on for ever holding down these lonians; we might never again have had so excellent an opportunity of letting them go free. To suppress their demonstrations year by year looked like tyranny ; to yield to them without some occasion would have been taken for weakness. Tho revolution of two years ago came to rid the country of this embarrassment. The Greeks made the first steps towards amity by send ing here for a King, and they were happily met in the same spirit. The consequence has been that, after some eighteen months of negotiations, the islanders and the Protecting Powers have parted on excellent terms. The British flag has been hauled down, not by a victorious enemy, not in ungracious concession to seditious and hateful subjects, but with an air of generosity on the one side and gra. titude on the other which is seldom found in international transactions. When the events of the present time are viewed from a few years'dis tance and appear in their true moral proportions, there is little doubt that the failure of a too eager interference in the North of Europe will be forgotten by the side of the political success achieved in the Mediterranean. More genuine in fluence will have been gained by a well-timed con cession than has been lost by a diplomatic mistake. The reconciliation of Prince Couza with the Sultan is an event likely to have a most favourable influence on the progress of the Danubian Provinces, where the present generation is witnessing changes of the highest importance. Any good, however, that the Great Powers can effect by mediating between the Turkish Suzerain and his chief Christian vassal is of lit* moment in comparison with the benefits to mankind they might accomplish were it in their power to bring about a reCouulliaLtun contending Federations of North America. The Royal Message only enunciates the opinion of the whole country when it declares it expedient for this country to maintain a strict neutrality between the belligerents. We cannot hope that the interference either of ourselves or our neighbours would have any other effect than to exasperate those whom it sought to calm. In such circumstances it is, per haps, advisable to dissipate every suspicion which the action of any English Association may have excited in American breasts, and to declare formally that in no way and in conjunction with no other Power will England meddle in American affairs. It when we look abroad the prospect is chequered, all is bright at home as well as in the principal de pendencies of the Crown. The war in New Zealand makes an exception to the general prosperity and tranquillity of the empire. With the exception of this passing cloud there is nothing to darken the landscape. In the manufacturing districts of Great Britain the want and anxiety caused by the blockade of the American cotton crop is being relieved by one of the most remarkable industrial movements that has been witnessed in our time. Truly we may hope that the world is becoming united in stronger bonds than ever, when it is found that the great staple which the Southern States of America spoke of as their monopoly and looked on as able to control the action of England is being rapidly produced by communities which the planters of the New World and their Lancashire customers have been accustomed to consider as effete or barbarous. The spread of knowledge and the desire of material well being have affected the most ignorant and the most apathetic populations, and there is good reason to believe that if the American war lasts much longer the supplies of cotton will be abundant enough to restore the manufacturing classes to their former prosperity. In the chief dependency of the Crown particularly are the energy and progress of the pre sent day most remarkable. The advance of India in material prosperity and the contentment of its vast populations are things by which the present time will be remembered, and they furnish a fit sub ject for the congratulations of the Throne, After mentioning some of the principal measures of the session, and among them the Government Annui ties, and the act for giving increased facilities for the construction of railways, her Majesty dismisses Parliament with some cheerful remarks on the general wellbeing of the country. In these felicita tions one might, indeed, contrast the many blessings which Providence has sent us with the very few that are owing to the Legislative labours of the present session ; and remonstrate against the "Prosperity" and " practical comfort" argument when urged in defence of Parliamentary supineness. But it is so plain that it is the prosperity which has caused the apathy, that the enjoyment of the present has pre• vented the labour for ttse future, that it must be a severe critic who would lecture the legislators whom the day's proceedings set at liberty. POST.—The inhabitants of the metropolis have submitted patiently to the taxation necessary for getting rid of the nuisance caused by sewage flow. ing into the Thames. The Main Drainage Commis sioners will be thoroughly entitled to the gratitude of the public when they shall h ave decided upon some plan for utilising the refuse matter of from two to three millions of people. The mere !act of pro jecting, by means of the engineering skill and v as t wealth of London, its filth into the Thames . estuary does not necessarily furnish any guide to 'the na tion at large, and to p rovincial towns in particu lar, as to the most economical method of dis posing of their sewage. If the Essexmarsh could some other districts w a s hed b y the Thames, be rendered by the application of sewage as remu• nerative as the meadows between Edinburgh and Leith, or the fields of the Earl of Essex, fertilised by the excreta of the town of Watford, then we should an ticipate the coming of the happy time when the rates hitherto paid by Londoners would assume diminished proportions, and also when they would have theadditional satisfaction of proving to the kingdom at large what vast sources of wealth are wasted by emptying the drainage of towns into adjacent rivers or brooks. The sew age question has assumed gigantic , proportions of l a t e years. It t h rea tens to set landed proprietors, farmers, and others interested in the cultivation of the soil, at variance with the inhabitants of towns. The other day the legal representatives of the Conservators of the Thames appeared before Vice-Chancellor Sir W. Page Wood, asking for an injunction to restrain the mayor and corporation of Kingston-on-Thames from discharging the sewage of that town int o the r iver. The lei unction Was granted so far as to inhibit the Kingston munieip a au th or ities fromcutting throu g h the towingepath or opening channels other than thee aleeedy existing for conducting the contents of their cesspools into the Thames. This case 1S now referred to on public grounds, and without the slightest wish to prejudge the decision which is to be pronounced on a discussion of the merit s, which is to take place hereafter. Chelmsford, Birmingham, Uxbridge, Malvern, Banbury, and several other towns, have either been sued, or are at this present moment in legal conflict with various parties for discharging their obnoxious matters into adjacent rivers. The present hot summer has doubt'reas aggravated a state of things which the absence of rain has rendered worse. At this moment there are thousands of acres of land in England as dry" and dusty and as bare of herbage as Rotten-row or Hyde-park, entirely from want of moisture. Agriculturists in certain districts are at their wits ends to devise means for keeping their cattle i n condition. The old pastures are in many placed. burnt up by the heat of the 'sun. The eecond. crop of clover has been eaten off by stock, instead of mown, as heretofore. The last resort is the aftermath, which in most casss is to be found in the greatest abundance in meadows adjoining rivers. These, however, in the vicinity of towns whose municipal authorities turn the adjacent rivers into common sewers for their own convenience , are almost unapproachable either by man or beast. The pastures in such localities are comparatively' useless, by reason of the drying up of the initial springs during this hot season. The water in the rivers is so polluted by the feculent matters carried into them by the drainage of towns that bullocks . and sheep will not taste it, and, if they did do so in the extremity of thirst, they would be seriously injured thereby. The consequences of muni ci p al authorities discharging their offensive matters into the nearest rivers has been very serious to the sufferers ever since the system began. A dry season like the present has made matters worse than usual. Not only have agriculturis ts been prevented, by the offensive nature of town sewage, from using their aftermath for their famishing cattle, but fish, also, in certain streams are at this moment utterly destroyed. We could now place our finger on the map of England and point out one river in particular in which the fisheries have been completely ruined. Pik e, eight and ten pounds each, perch weighing from one to two pounds, and eels the length of a wa lk* ing stick, are all to be found floating on the stir. face, either dead or in such a state of intoxicati on as is produced by slaked lime when put into rivers by poachers. This latter substance is a favourite deodoriser with boards of health.- The sewage of towns during a season like the pre' sent will kill all serts of fish for a distance of at least six miles downwards from the junction of the main sewer with the river. Farmers, millers, and landowners have lately become more than usually anxious about this matter. The practical solution of this question concerns the health of the dwellers on river banks. A wind blowing up stream, end carrying back the miasmata, generated by putre fying matter, to the place where they originated , has a tendency to rouse urban populations to the serious evils, which they try to remove a step or VW°, from their own doors only to place them at those 01 their neighbours. If farmers and millers find, as they actually do, that their interests are seriously affected by this increasing nuisance, then the ques tion of rent must be discussed, and the value of all property along the banks of rivers polluted by sewage will gradually diminish. The present sum; mer has, in its way, tested the reckless system turning British rivers into huge sewers. In th e olden time they were the glory of the landaeaPe and the theme of song. No doubt they have been reduced in volume by the drainage of the land. A flood is now carried off to the sea in as many days a, it used to take wells to accomplish. It req uireu years of experience, attended with terrible epidemic' and expense, to induce urban populations even 10 iend an ear to the advice of those who recommend ed them to adopt the provisions of the Health of Tow° Act. They have to a great extent got rid of t he most prevalent causes of many forms of disease bY the adoption of wise sanitary regulations. It Tr mains to be seen whether no other induceraen-!: short of expensive suits in Chancery, can preiral' upon boards of health to deposit their sewage °I the land, as recommended by Liebig , instead °_ forcing it into the nearest river, as is now done, I°, the injury of man, beast, and fish , and in fact o_l every living thing. Croydon was restra ined, a few . years ago, from polluting the Wandle. The Ine'll hers of the Board of Health. like sensible We"! rented several hundred acres of land , a mile or. tiv°, from the town, to which they applied the l4° manure, and with beneficial effects. If the sysc! followed there and at Watford, in Essex, were woru generally adopted throughout the country, the ne r u• suits would be satisfactory to all part i e s coacer COUNTRY liIARKETS. LIVERPOOL —FRIDAY. There was a poor attendance to-day of the country trade, and pressing sellers of wheat have had to make a fur ther slight concession in prices. Flour in limited supplYs and cannot be quoted more than 3d per barrel and sack de cline on rue weeic. 111G1/111 corn in mouerute aemaud, 1.;4 lid less money. For oats and oatmeal the demand is limited, and no improvement in prices. Beans, peas, and barley brought last Tuesday's prices. STAMFORD—FRIDAY. White wheat, 44s to 48s ; red, 39s to 44s per 36 stone. Barley, malting, 28s to 34a ; grinding, 27s to 29s per (1 1. • Oats, 20s to 25s per 24 stone. Beans, old, 40 s to ---6 pe r qr. ; new, 37s to 41s. WAKEFIELD—FRIDAY. The wheat trade was dull to-day, and the prices of !as t Friday rather easier—millers supplying their immediate wants. Spring corn fully as dear. Averages for the week : Wheat 5,400 qrs., at 4 ss 4d Oats l5O Beans Peas ...... LINCOLN—FRIDAY. A fair show of wheat, which met only a moderato trade, White wheat new, 46s to 52s Barley, grindin . at about previous rates. 41s to 46s Oats,'old, 0.. 27s to r 7 58 Red do, Old white 43s to 46s New:do .......... 20s to 2;,5, Red do. 38s to 42s i Beans.. ....... 395 to p 9 Barley, al hi m--t--g.• • .32s to 34s 1 Beans, new........ . 365 to l ' 9s *. ...... 24s to to' .s CORK—THURSDAY. , 1 ..-Ite cl The following were the quotations this mo rualo 1, r.,ev, 73 wheat, Ss Od to Ss 10 ( 1; white, Ss Od to Os 861, '•'.., 61 to 1(1 to Os Od ; oats, Os 6d to Cs Sd ; black do., °P 5s 11d. BRISTOL SUGAR—FRIDA.Y . Gd tO The market has been as flat as possible , and prices 0., Is lower for all descriptions of raw suga r. Refiners' qto duce continues quite neglected, and stocks are large. sales to report in rum. Foreign Mail Packet List. MAILS DUE. Australia and Mauritius, via Sou th a mpton. ...... Aug. 18 via Marse illes ......... Aug. Brazil and Cape Verde, by British p acket. Aug. 4. Cape of Good Hope, Ascension, and S t . Helena.. Aug. 29. China, Penang, and Si n gapore, via South am p ton. A u g. 2. via Marseilles ...Aug. Falkland Islands ......... Gibraltar, via Southampton Aug. 2 ,.; India (Calcutta), and Ceylon, via Southampton Aug. , 9 : via Marseilles Aug. ..„ India (Bombay), via Southampton .. Aug, 10. via Marseilles Aug . Portuga 1.... Malta, Egypt, and Aden, via Southampton Aug Aug . ; via Marseilles ........ Newfoundland ...Aug. 3. Oporo and Vigo .• .... • . • . u U. S. t and British N. America, by Brit. packet... • A g . 3. by U.S. packet.... _. A. by Canadian p aeket.ug. 0 AllpsfanedstElnridtiiessh, cinoelluuradibniga.Cbill"..e.reu: 1 AUG. t 13. California. Births. Burn: EL.—On the 28th inst., at Ramplate, Mrs. Bu of a daughter. FREMANTLE.—On the 28th inst., at 1, Hamilton -pla ce; Lady Augusta Fremantle, of a daughter. NORRTS.—On the 28 th inst., at Winchester, t h e wife of Captain Norris, Rifle Brigade, of a son. WooLLA.corr.—On the 29th inst., at New Malden, the" if° of James 0. Woollacot, Esq., of a son. Marriages. AGNEW—BRADBURY.—On the 28th inst., at St. rano?' Charles Swain, son of Thomas Agnew, Esq , of F 3lr e hope, Eccles, near Manchester, to Edith, daughtfr• Wm. Bradbury, Esq ,of 3, Upper Woburn-place, I°l stock-square, London. BURTON—BRUNT. —On the 28th inst a t Prestbury, Jolla B urton , Esq., of The Elms, Perry -hill, Sydenharo, Sarah Jane, daug hter of Jose p h Brunt, of lirl°t' land House, Macclesfield. Deaths. B E RGIL—On the 2 7th inst., at Brighton , Captain Angus' tus Bergh, aged 86. FoanusT.—On the 26th inst., at South Shields, Thos. . Forrest, Esq., aged 35. lIEATLET.—On the 28th inst., Colonel John Heatley't tired Full Pay, 69th Hegt. A. the 27th inst., at his Parsonage, the Re ¢ tie d Hill, incumbent of St. Paul's, Tiverton, 47. on it KENYON.-0a the 27th inst., at POMMY, near Louisa Mary, relict of the late Edward Lloyd g T Esq.. of Pen-y-lan, Denbighshire, aged 47. Kll\r. John ThomasN i G.—On the2Bthitinin fed inst., at Rich mo nd -road, 1136°1' -t? O bert M UL u E I s e - :Esq On t haog aged SG. 1 inst., at Barusb ur y - p ark, M A _ . London : Prind and PrNished by WILLIANI A_N D. lO- ' of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at T nE SUN OlUce ,o• Strand, in the Precinct of the 3a,roy, t!e CP* 3 ' fi klil4l.,:ii.q;,—Sgtwaly, July 32,.1.5C4. .1 rn G 1