The Sun. — London, England, 1863-12-09 00:00:00

IFEB OAT SERVICES.—Dnring the recent lAheavy gales some of the t'oats of the Royal Na , ional Life b oa t Institution have been instrumental in rescuing the crews of the following wrecked vessels :—STamworth ch of ooner Nor T wheophi 'us, of Aberd een, 5 men ; barque , ay, 17; schooner Northern Lights, of Preston, I ; pilot boat, of St. lves, 7 ; schooner Arion. of Working,ton, 4; schooner Gipsy, of Drogheda, 4 ; smack Saucy Jack, of Inverness, 1 ; barque Marietta, of Lisbon, 'I ; fishing boat, of File t', 2 ' • Tenby, fishing boat , 3 ; and barqu e Providence, of Dantzic,7. Total lives saved, 55. The lifeboats also assisted in bringing safely into port, with their crews, consisting of 29 men, the Italian brig Camoglino, the schooner Sir Colin Campbell, of Whitby. , the scho:;ner Guilts, of Palermo, and the ketch Snip, of Am• • aterdam. The lifeboats also went off in reply to signals o: t distress on fourteen occasions, but their services were not tiltirnately. required. The amount of reward piid for al these services was £216. The Committee of the Institution earnestly APPEAL to tl page it tor ASSISTANLE to euable them to met the cot 1- tinue:l heavy demands on the Society's 125 liteb at estal ) lishmt tits. Contributions are recciv d by all . the Lon is and country bankers ; and by the Secietary, hichard Lewi 8 Eaq., at the Institution, 14, ohn- street, Adelphi, London. ROYAL ENGLISH. OPERA,.,, COVENT-GARDEN. Under the Manazement of Miss Louisa Pyne and Mr. W. Harrisbn. THIS EVENING, for the 15th time, Balfe's new Opera, BLANCIIe: DE NEVE itS : Miss Louisa Fyne, Miss Anna. Hiles, Miss Emma Heywood; Messrs.W. H. Weiss, H. Corri„ A. Cook, A. St. Albyn, C. Lyall, J. Rouse, and W. Harrison. To conclude with the Second Act of THE DESERT FLOWER. Conductor, Mr. A. Mellon. Doors open at half-past Six— :omnience at Seven. THEATRE ROYAL DRURY - LAN E. - Managers, Messrs. E. Falconer and F. B. Chatterton. THIS EVENING, her Majesty's Servants will perform, the Farce of BEAUTY- OR THE BEAST. Principal cha racters by Messrs. Addison , G. F. Nev ille, Barret, Spencer, and G. Weston; Mrs Edmund Falconer and Miss R. Leclerq. After which, Lord Byron's Choral Tragedy, MAN FRED. Messrs. helps, Ryder, .Rayner, M-agreson, vVard, Spencer ; Ir Miss Eburne, Miss E. Atkinson, Miss Leclercq, and Mrs. E. Falconer. Vocalists—Miss Poole, Miss isitter, Miss Cicely Notr, Miss Heywood, and Mr. Swift. Followed by MY lIIA',AET'S IN THE HIGHLANDarde, S: characters by Mr. 3. Neville , Mr. G. Weston, Mr. W Mr. J. Minis ; Mrs. C. Melville and Miss Ilarfleur. THEATRE ROYAL HAYMARKET.- Sole Lessee and Manager, Mr, Buckstone. THIS EVENING, USED UP. Messrs. C. Math amesews, Howe, Rog.ers, Braid, Clar k, Cullenford, &c. ; Mesd Angel, Fitzwilliam, &c. Followed by THE GOLDEN FLEECE. Messrs. Charles Mathews, Compton,Weathersby, &o. ; Mesdames C. Mathews, L. Keeley. Griffith, &C. With COOL AS A CUCUMBER. Mr. C. Mathews. And MY HUS BAND'S GEtO nc ST. Commee at 7. CE UM T H EAT RE pu Under the Sole Management of Mr. Fechter. BEL DE NIONIO (a Triump'aant Success) will be repeated Every Evening until further notice. THIS EVENING, the Comedietta, by W. Gilbert, entitled UNCLE BABY: Messrs. Widdlcombe, J. G. Shore, Charles ; Miss P. Leclercq, and CArlott a Leclercq. After which, at Eight o'clock, BEL D EMONIO, a Love Story, in Twelve Tablaux, 1 aken from Stendhal's "Itali an Chronicle-," by Mr. John Brouzham. Principal charae tet by Mr. Fechter, supported by Messrs. Jordan, Charles, - Brou,vhsm , Emery , _ Ra y mond, Morel and, Smith, Clifford, Collett, Andrews, Sims ; Miss Kate Ter r y , E . L avenue, M Lee, and Miss Elsworthy. Doors open at half-past 6— commence at 7. LEA H.-EVERY NIGHT, MISS B ATESIAN.—LEAII.—Tins EVENING, the 61st appearance of the great Tragic Actress, Miss BNTEMAN, in the character of LEAH. In consequence of the unboundd success with which Miss Bateman's imperso nation of the prir.cipal character in the new Five Act Drama of L RAH has been attended. Mr iVebster begs to announce that it will be performed EVERY EVENING until further notice. 'NEW THEATRE-ROYAL, ADELPHI.- sole Pronriator and i►Tanaerer, ItTr. B. Webster. THIS EVENING, at 7, THE TRAGEDY QUEEN: Mrs. Stirling% At 8, the New Drama of LEAH : Bth wee of Miss Bate man, supported by Messrs. Arthur Stirling, R. Phillips, Bil ling-ton, Stuart, Stephenson, Eburne; Miss H. Simms, and Airs. Billing-ten. To conclude with THE IRISH TIGER ; Miss K. Kelly and Mr. Stephenson. ROYAL STRAND THEATRE. Manazer, Mr. W. H. Swanborough. THIS EVENING, MIRIAM'S CRIME. Messrs. Geo. Honey, Parselle, Belford, Turner, Miss K. Saville, and Miss Xanders. Followed by (14th time) PATIENT PENELOPE or, The Return of Ulysses. Messrs. Honey and Fenton ; Mesdames irfanboroug - h and Simpson. After which, MT NEW PLACE. Mr. A. Wood. Commence at 7. ROYAL SADLER'S-WELLS THEATRE. tit anageress, Miss Marriott. THIS EVENING, INGOHAR. Messrs. D. H. Jones, Gresham, Bennett ; Miss Marriott, and Mrs. Wallis. To conclude with THE BRIGAND : Mr. D. H. Jones, Miss Mandlebert. Box-office open from 11 to 4. T" THIRD EDITION OF "THE SUN," Containing the Latest SPORTING INTELLIG-ENCE, out be had Every Evening' of G. R. GLY.NIE, News AGENT, No. 4, Connaught-terrace, Hyde-park. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE, THIS Dew.—Morning, 12h. 27m.—Afternoon, 12h. 50m, Yo-moußow.-Morninz, lh. 11m.—Afternoon, lh. 36a, The Weather—Sun Office, Dec. 9, 1863. THERMOMETER. This day at Two o'clock 52 Barometer-29.93. ; moderate, with rain. 4421,41 g - - 2' 7 S 444 14"' LONDON, WEDNESDAY, DEC. 9, 1863. The intelligence brought to us by this last mail from the opposite shores of the Atlantic, gives us but a broken view of the situation of things just now between the belligerents. We see but half of what had just then occurred ! The tidings, coming as usual through the North, suffers distortion. Whatever there was, of good - news for the Federals, to be related, is told fully and eagerly, and with the highest possible colouring. Whatever there was, of bad news for the Fedarals, is just as sedu lously suppressed, as far, that is, of course, as sup pression was in any way possible. And wherever it (the bad news, that is) contrived to peep out, in spite °„„ itt rt r i le . se efforts at its suppression, it does so bat dimly, fragmentarily, For instance: the news from th e south-eastern borders of Tennessee is told out boldly, blatently. The Confederate army under BRAGG is des cribed as driven back by the Federals under Gene r al GRANT at the pas de charge—the Southerner s being, in effect, it is said, abso lutely routed. Sixty cannon taken —we don't know how many wounded, and cap tured —and, as 7Y killed, a ma t tter of course, in conse quence of this the doom success of GRANT'S— , BURNSID E saved from otherwise all but inevitably awaiting him place of . shelter in which he had been entrap ! Suffi ciently full, possibly for once tru e here and there particular accounts are thus furnish e d by ttheesreecleanstt advices from New York as to the issue, h contest between GRA NT and BRAGG the vicinity of Chattamauga and Ch attanooga the borders of Tennessee. Accounts they are that look more than ugly, that appear to be nothing less th an di: eastrous to BRAGG and his followers. Asoetuit4 under any circumstances that relate, there can b e little doubt of this, to one of the most brilliant sue. cesses yet obtained by the North over the Confe derates. Meanwhile nothing whatever is said about certain warlike movements that, in spite of such studied silence in regard to them, it is quite manifest have recently been taking place between the main armies of the North and of the South upon the banks of the Rapidan. According to the cant phrase of our time, the reti cence manifested by the North, thus, in regard to those recent movements of a warlike character along the banks of the Rapidan, now on this side, now on that, evidences pretty clearly that the news from that direction is anything rath e r than sati s f ac t or y to the cause of the Federals. Had the result of these movements been satisfactory, we may be quite certain we should have known all about it. We should h ave e the Rapidan, quite e d accounts furnished to us from as explicit as those from the borders of Tennesse e. Yet that something had taken place there, on the Rapidan, between MEADE an d LEE — „ and that somethinc., moreover, a some thing of very considerable m i portance—cannot for an instant be doubted. Our reasons for so sayin g being simply these—that Whe reas General 11 EADE was keowe to Lave crossed the Rapidan by three fords, on the 26 t h and 27 t 4 of November, w h ere as on the latter date, that is the 27th, heavy cannonading was heard at Orange Court House (where, in consequence of this same heavy cennonading, a battle is supposed to have been then and there taking place)—on the afternoon of the very next day, the 28th, it was stated at New York that there was no further news from Virginia! Yet—by reason of what was vaguely and mysteriously spoken of as certain " unfavour able military rumours," gold rose on that same 28th at one leap from 43: 7 to 471- premium ! Yet — all the while that gold was making this very sinister leap—" no further news from Virginia!" This rise of gold, this denial of newt—have at any rate, together, a vcry suspicious significance. The weekly meeting of the Manchester Central Committee presented some interesting features. The noble Chairman communicated to the members the answer which ho had received from the Home Secretary in reference to matters connected with the Public Works Act. In this reply, Sir GEORGE GREY promises that every effort shall be made, on behalf of the Government and the Loan Commis sioners, to reduce the preliminary expenses of the loans in question to the smallest possible minimum. It is to be hoped that this promise will be strictly adhered to, and that no unnecessary formalities will be suffered to consume the time and money which at this season of the year are so especially precious. The report of the Secretary gives evidence of that uncertainty in the prospects of the cotton trade which those who are well qualified to judge have already foretold as too probable. The numbers in full work have decreased nearly 18,000 in the past month, while the lists of those on short time and out of work show a corresponding increase. There is no especial ground for uneasiness in this state ment, as such fluctuations have been foreseen and calculated upon. During the winter months it is too probable that variations in the numbers em ployed will be very frequent ; and it is even said to be probable that the present month will show a considerable diminution in the quantity of work, owing to the state of the money market, although that, as we have before observed, is partly due to the cotton trade itself. Of course, the decrease of work has produced a corresponding increase of pau perism, so that 1,300 additional persons are now in receipt of relief from the guardians, and nearly 2,000 are entirely dependent on the relief funds. It is satisfactory to know that the estimate of the com mittee allowed for all such contingencies, and that the favourable aspect of affairs last month was not accepted as an index of the winter. Nevertheless, the news is on the whole satisfactory, especially as regards the results of the Public Works Act. It appears that the works already undertaken in con formity with its provisions have provided occupa tion for 1,461 cotton operatives, in addition to 301 unskilled and 420 skilled labourers. The doubts which some persons expressed of the ability of the mill workers to turn their hands to a totally dif ferent trade prove to have been altogether un founded, as 055 of the unskilled are allowed to earn ordinary wagos at piece work, and they have be come so proficient in their new trade as to be able on an average to earn not less than 10s. to 108. 6d. per head weekly. This is satisfactory news, and exemplifies the truth that a readiness to adapt one self to a new profession depends less on the cha racter of the previous occupation than on the de gree of mental intelligence. The rapidity with which the Volunteers, most of them men of sedentary habits, acquired the drill aad became proficient in the use of their unaccustomed weapons, was universally commented on, and it was explained by the superior standard of education and general intelligence throughout the various corps, as well as the willing ck,,a hpqrty spirit with which they went about their work. The agricultural class, from whom our re cruits are principally drawn, are certainly more accustomed to out-door exercise and the use of their muscles than the volunteer fresh from his desk and counter, yet the mental aptitude and pliability so far exceeded any physical advantages as to supply a large body of well-trained and efficient riflemen within a period which would certainly have left the same number of ploughmen little better than raw recruits. The same reasoning no doubt ap plies to the change in the habits of the Lancashire mill hands. They are known to belong to a well educated and intelligent class. If their frames have been dwarfed by early toil, and exhausted by long hours of close and incessant labour, their facul ties have been sharpened and their wits kept bright by the interchange of ideas, and the general mental standard of the community. The question of suc cess in any new undertaking depends less on pre vious training than on individual capacity, and the men of Lancashire are not likely to fail in this. As yet, too, we hear no complaints of the effects of out door employment upon their health, though th e weather they have experienced has been none of the mildest. The wise forethought of the Committee has probably provided in a great measure agains this by s sufficient supply of warm clothing, and it is to be hoped the liberality of the pub. tic will enable them to continue such provision. Some discussion ensued at the meeting respecting the receipt of relief by some of the men engaged on public works. The committee, it seems, are willing to grant some subsidiary aid to unskilled operatives during a month or six weeks' training, as well as making them grants of warm clothing, but here its labours very properly terminate. The object of the act was to render a large proportion of the unemployed mill hands altogether independent of charitable aid, and tha object is, of course, defeated by the men employed under the act continuing as recipients of relief. Such an arrangement is no gain to the men or their families, as they are paid less wages in considera- tion of the amount received from the relief corn mittees. The functions of Public Works Boards and of relief committees are, as Sir J. K. SHUTTLE• WORTH very justly observed, entirely distinct, and any attempt, however well intentioned, to combine laera will prove unsatisfactory. The resolutions Whic h Sir J. K. SHUTTLEWORTH proposed, and : h it i , ell were subsequently agreed to by the com mittee, e c : f e relief embodied the principle that men in re should not be employed on public work ,u s , aaken under th e now ac t. N o d ou bt individual em es may offer some exception, and it is to be presu me be shown in suspended from instances other causes; but th e . and the committee employment unnecessary harshness will -4 nees where heads of families are principle is doubt ing i t. Meanwhile the prospects trade are decidedly encou regi ' n of India are now pretty Well e l l s ; :::::::t e from bad weather or s Taeolf theicat: no sound, wisely in establish :co:l:i:: established, and the most sceptical are beginning . 1 . .0 ad .....!, ' Lutz that there is no reason to doubt that, w ith time, labour, and cultivation, the lum en cotton fields will become our p rinci p al source of supply: It has been proved, too, beyond a doubt that the quality of Indian cotton is not necessarily in ferior, but that samples raised from American seed have surpassed expectation. The stimulus given everywhere to cotton cultivation by the suspension of the American supply has im portant results in Queensland, in Jam produced ioa, in South America, and other quarters. A very important auxiliary is promised in Egypt. That country, as is well known, is well adapted for the THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 9, 186. purposes of cotton cultivation, but recent events are likely to hasten forward the development of its resources. The new Viceroy, ISMAIL PASHA, is known to be a man of energy and character. Beginning his reign under serious difficulties, he has shown that he is not unfit to deal with the crisis, but intends to act more after the European pattern than that of the effete and extravagant Porte. Among other changes and improvements, the attention of the new Viceroy has been turned to a rich but hitherto neglected district lying along the banks of the Blue and White Niles, and known as the Soudan. This fertile territory, which has as yet brought little profit to its rulers, is said to be capable of producing a revenue equal to all the rest of Egypt. Such calculations will very soon be put to the test, for the Viceroy has deter mined upon developing it capacities to the utmost. He proposes establishing communications with it by means of rail, steamers, and telegraph, and more especially to put its powers to the proof in the cultivation of cotton, for which it is said to be especially fitted. When this large and fertile country is, under efficient management, converted into cotton fields, we shall possess an additional source of supply of our great staple, and one, too, which is likely to furnish us with an article of first-rate quality. Should the project succeed, as, considering the fertility of the soil and its latitude, it can scarcely fail to do, it will result in substantial and lasting benefit alike to producer and consumer. It is most unsatisfactory to note the course which the Prussian Chamber of Deputies is pursuing. After having commenced their debates with so much energy, and shown so much zeal in the right direction, it is most disheartening now to perceive that they are throwing away a chance, and vir tually defeating their objects. It is a great triumph for Herr BISMARK thus to have the game in his own hands again, as it were, through the instru mentality of these thoughtless politicians. In their mistaken zeal for the aggrandisement of Prussia abroad they are forgetting to look after the main chance at home, and abandoning the cause which they had taken up with so much fervour and en thusiasm. The notion of maintaining inviolate the supremacy of the nations of Germany has effaced or partially extinguished the desire lately so para mount of guarding against worst evils at home, and putting down the attempts to curtail all the privi leges of the people, and interfere with their special privileges. This retrogade movement is a most lamentable one, and doubtless the BISMARK faction are most jubilant at this change of tactics, since what appeared so lately to be a desponding party may now exult as again a foremost and flourishing one. It is a strange study to peruse the descrip tion of the debates that have taken place upon these important topics. Whatever discord prevails.upon minor points of arrangement, or division of opinion exists as to the manner in which the plans should be carried out, there seems to be a sort of unanimity regarding the one absorbing topic of interest, namely, the upholding of the claims of Germany as opposed to those of Denmark. It is melancholy to witness such a decadence in the spirit of a nation ; the worst representations of popular pride, preju dice, and passion are thus displayed, and it seems difficult to believe that these recalcitrants were so totally engaged in a great and glorious cause, who are now so ignobly and basely deserting their post, and abandoning their colours. The storm that agitates Denmark, and the contention that is rife among the German Confederation, is fraught with sad effects for Prussia, if it is to be means of frustrating the attempts so worthily devised and so strenuously advocated by her true-hearted sons. In one way she may be the greatest sufferer of the lot, for de spite the disputes which are agitating the rival territories, their pritato relations are not called in question ; but it is otherwise with Prussia, and in an evil hour the underminers of her rights and robbers of her freedom may be making political capital out of these angry and irritating discussions as to the inalienable possession and sovereign sway of the Confederation. At any rate, many backward steps have been taken lately, and it is high time that the mistaken and misguided deputies should awake from their delusive trance and mark the dangers which surround their course. Too late they will discover that in grasping at the shadow they have lost the substance. In endeavouring to resuscitate the departing vigour of freedom they will have cast away the chance of re-establishing their own land in the blessing of Constitutional Government; and in clinging to a fragmentary relic of the past they will have lost the opportunity of uniting themselves with these improvements of the present which lead on mankind to the light of a glorious future, and herald the advent of political regeneration. Not in vain the distance beacons, forward, forward let us range; Let the great world spin for ever, down the rinsing grooves of change," has sung the poet with the discrimination of a philosopher and the recognition of a patriot ; the sooner these Prussian argumentators become converted to the nation the better will it be for their individual interests, their political status, and their national honour. At the Greenwich palice•court last week a case of extraordinary barbarity was brought before Mr. Them., the sitting magistrate, by Mr. Lovz, the energetic officer of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. What renders this case particularly monstrous is that the perpetrators of it were three children all under the age of twelve. It would seem from the statement of LOVE that the society had not brought forward this particular case as an incidental one, but as one of a class which has for some time been carried on in those parts of Greenwich which are inhabited by the worst classes. The facts are these, the three children in question, having obtained possession of an unfortunate cat, tied a scarf round its body, and, having dragged it to a piece of waste ground, the eldest boy stabbed it several times with a knife, while his younger companions in iniquity held it, and then proceeded to cut off its tail, which operation having been per formed, the three miscreants jumped upon the wretched creature. Being disturbed, however, by the approach of somebody they ran away, leaving their unfortunate victim to crawl into a shed, where it was afterwards put out of its misery by one of the officers of the society. The delinquents were pursued and eaptured, the knife and tail being found in their possession. They were of course given in charge to the police. Mr. Lc:ITE observed that this was no isolated case, and that it was from the fre quency of its occurrence that the attention of the society had been called to the matter. Mr. TRAILL, after commenting on the barbarity of the act, re marked that he was very unwilling to send young children to prison, he therefore fined the eldest £l, and the second 10s. and costs, and handed over the youngest to his father on his becoming security for his future good behaviour. We heartily concur with Mr. TRAILL in his objection to sending children to prison to mix with criminals of all dyes, and in the instance of these little wretches they would have proved but too apt pupils ; but surely something is wanting in the management of our prisons, when there is no intermediate plan which can be pursued between • forcibly asSOClAting ' pvenil e offendeni with bar, dened criminals, and practically letting them off altogether, although no doubt the parents of the boys would have chastised them, not for their cruelty to the cat, but because they themselves have lost their money. The truth of the adage that pre vention is better than cure is admitted by all, yet we do not follow it out effectually. Had separate wards, or, better still, a separate prison for the recep tion of youths and children, been in existence, where they would be carefully looked after and judiciously classified, the magistrate would doubt less have committed at least the eldest of these children for a short period; and if a sound whipping had been superadded it would have been all the better. As it is, the child must either be let loose unpunished, or thrown into the society of those who will speedily bring to maturity the germ of crime already generated in his mind. Men do not become felons and murderers all of a sudden— it is by easy gradations that the pickpocket be comes housebreaker or garotter. A few years ago a man was arrested in the dark arches of the Adelphi, who was tearing off the skins of live cats. Th e affair created considerable excitement and public indignation, and the magistrate of Bow street,while passin g th e h eav i est sentence which the allowed upon him, ex p resse d hi s regret tha l t aw he had not the power of dealing more severely with him. Is there much to choose be tween the man and the child in this matter ? The crime of the adult was increased by his know ledge of the barbarity of his act, but that of the child is also aggravated by the exhibition of such an act of barbarity in one so young. Were we able to trace back the antecedents of the man, we should most likely find that in his youth he had been given to amusements similar to those of the children above referred to. Many children are naturally cruel, and their parents are in a great measure to blame for in too many instances encouraging rather than checking them. It is, however, the duty of the Government generally, and of local authorities in particular, to use their best endeavours to mitigate as far as possible these glaring evils. The excellent Society by whose instrumentality this abominable case has been brought forward, are distributing tracts among the national and ragged schools, in culcating the duties of humanity, and we doubt not that the teachers will exert themselves to impress their principles upon their pupils; but there is a power in the hands of every one individual of the a moral duty— w hi c h i s to check community, nay, every instance of wanton cruelty which comes under his or her observation. People are too prone to say to themselves, even in matters where the safety of life and property is in danger--" It is no concern of mine ; let the police look to it !" How much more will many decline to interfere in cases where a boy is ill-using a horse, donkey, or dog. There are those, however, who feel that it is their duty to mankind to check a vice which may here often be developed into a crime. If all people acted upon this principle, our gaols, reformatories, and workhouses would be less crowded. Mr. Cobden and the " Times," [ln penning the following communication, Mr. Cobden appears to us to have been quite unneces sarily angry. 'We give insertion to it in our columns simply because we regard it as a literary cur iosity. At the same time, that we cannot but regret that a man of such sound judgment, of such keen intellect, and, generally speaking, of such imperturbable and statesmanlike equanimity should have allowed himself to be disturbed into so very flagrant a manifestation of virulence, we cannot for one instant believe that a virulence, so coarsely expressed and really and truly so wholly unpro voked, can be of the slightest possible detriment to the Times ]—ED. SUN. Mr. Cobden presents his compliments to the editor of the Star, and will be obliged by his giving publicity to the accompanying letter, which has been refused insertion in the Times. Midhurst, Dec. 8. "TO THE EDITOR OP THE TIMES.' "Sir,—The following is extracted from your yesterday's leading article : " ' Then, though a small State may have something to lose by change, it has usually more to gain ; and so it comes to pass that it looks upon any attempt to reconstruct the map, or retorm the institutions of Europe, with something of that satisfaction with which the poor might regard Mr. Bright's proposition for a division among them of the land: af the rich, or the Roman plebeians might hang on the lips of Gracchus when he rose to expound to them his last plan for a new colony, with large grants of land to every citi• zen who should join it. " Without communicating with Mr. Bright I trouble you with a few words on this gross literary outrage, which concerns not him alone, but every public man. To utter a syllable to prove that the above assertion that Mr. Bright advo- cated a division of the lands of the rich among the poor is a gr oun dl ess a nd gratuitous falsehood would be to offer an insult to one who has done more than probably any other public man to popularise those economical truths on which the rights of property are based. To say that it is a foul libel for which the publisher is amenable to law were be side the question, because the object of the calumny would scorn any other court of appeal than that of public opinion. But a wider question is forced on your attention by this specimen of your too habitual mode of dealing, not merely with individuals, but with the interests of society. A tone of pre-eminent unscrupulousness in the discussion of poli tical questions, a contempt for the rights and feelings of others, and an unscrupulous disregard of the claims of consistency and sincerity on the part of its writers, have long been recognised as the distinguishing characteristics of the Times, and placed it in marked con trast with the rest of the periodical press, including the penny journals of the metropolis and the provinces. Its writers are, I believe, betrayed into this tone mainly by their reliance on the shield of an impenetrable secrecy. No gen tleman would dream of saying under the responsibility of his signature what your writer said of Mr. Bright yesterday. I will not stop to remark on the deterioration of character which follows when a man of education and rare ability thus lowers himself--ay, even in his own eyes—to a con dition of moral cowardice; for will he deny that if he were to meet Mr. Bright in the club or in the House of Commons, with the knowledge that his secret was divulged, he would cower with conscious inferiority before the man he had stabbed in the dark ? This, how ever, is his own affair. But there is another aspect of the subject in Which the public is directly interested, "In the present management of the Time: there is one essential departure from the plan on which it was con ducted 20 or 30 years ago which distinguishes it from all other journals. They who associate in the higher political circles of the metropolis know that tho chief editor and the manager of the Times, while still maintaining a strict in • *ovate towards the public, drop the mask with very suffi cient reasons in the presence of those powerful classes who are at once the dispensers of social distinction and (on which I might have something to say) of the patronage of the Go vernment. We all know the man whose fortune is derived from the Times; we know its manager; its only avowed and responsible editor—he of the semi-official correspon dence with Sir Charles Napier in the Baltic—through whose hands, though he never pen a line hi mse lf, every slander in it s l ea d ers must pass—is as well known to us as the chief official at the Home Office. Now, the ques tion is forced on us whether we who are behind the scenes are not bound, in the interests of the uninitiated public and as the only certain mode of abating such out rages as this, to lift the veil .and dispel the delusion by which the Tunes is enabled to pursue this game of secrecy to the public and servility to the Government—a game (I purposely use the word) which secures for its connections the corrupt advantages, while denying to the public its own boasted benefits of tho anonymous system. "It will be well for public men to decide, each in his own case (for myself I have no doubt on the subject), whether, in response to such attacks as these, they will continue to treat the T imes as an impersonal myth; or whether, on the contrary, they will in future summon the responsible editor, manager, or proprietor to the bar of public opinion, and hold him up by name to the obloquy which awaits the traducer and calumniator in every other walk of political and social life.--I am, Sr.c., "RICHARD COBDEN. " Midhurat, Dec. 4." THE SUPPOSED CONFEDERATE STEAMER PAM PERO.—We learn that the issuo of these private and preliminary examinations as to the character and destina tion of this vessel, which have been in progress for some time, has been that the law advisers of the Crown have re solved upon instituting a formal complaint and prosecution. Mr. James Webster is agent for the defence, and we under stand that a very strong bar has been retained on both sides. It is also said that this is not the only case of the sort likely to become the subject of judicial inquiry in S co tl an d . _ Norio ,BritiM (Glasgow) ,Maid, LATEST INTELLIGENCE. (REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.) SWEDEN. STOCKHOLM, DEC. 8 (Evening). The Diet was closed to-day with a speech from the throne. „His Majesty said: "Our interests are not yet immediately threatened, but they are connected with the maintenance of peace and the rights of nations in Europe.' The Swedish nations feel deep sympathy and sorrow for the dangers which im pend over the King and people of Denmark. FRANCE. PARIS, DEC. 9. The replies of the Sovereigns of Belgium, Italy, and Holland to the Emperor's invitation to the Congress have been published to-day. The Moniteur of this morning says :—" A regret table discussion has been entered into relative to the works on the Isthmus of Suez. Not content with opposing an enterprise in which French inte rests are engaged, certain journals have committed the great mistake of seeking to make the public be lieve that they expressed the ideas of the Govern ment. The Government meets this pretension with the most complete disavowal." The Constitutionnel of to-day, in an article signed by M. Boniface, says :—" We are authorised to con tradict the rumours respecting the superseding of the Prefect of Police." The debate on the address will commence in the Senate on Monday next. BOURSE, Dec. B.—The arrival of the English funds with a rise of has for the present put an end to reports of an intended further rise in the rate of discount by the Bank of England, and given a little stimulus to this market. Threes, for the Ac count, are now at 67fr. 25c. Mobilier have im provad to 1,050 fr. Railway market firm. A slight decline took place towards the close, and left off as follows: 41 per Cents ' 95 10 Do. end month — 3 per Cents Do. end month 67 15 Credit Mobilier 1047 50 Do. end month — Bank Shares 3335 Credit Fonder 1270 Roman Italian Loan 7l 50 Do. end month 72 15 New ditto .. 71 20 Do. end month.... Russian Austrian .. — Spanish Threes 52 Home Debt .. — Deferred RIIL' 'AY% Cash. Account. 970 972 50 967 50 .. 972 50 Orleans Northern .... New ditto Lyons and Alediterra.nean New, ditto .. . Geneva S3uthern Western Eastern Sardinian Austrian Lombard North of Spain Saragossa.. Ditto to Barcelona 937 50 .. 937 50 890 -- -- 497 50 677 50 .. 678 50 505 - - - 480 - 470 - 402 50 403 75 397 50 ‘' . 397 50 522 50 525 - 522 50 525 - 625 - 4 , 630 - 305 - 310 - The Late Gales—Lifeboat Services, TO THE EDITOR 01 0 THE SUN. SIR,—We are induced to solicit the powerful aid of The Sun to enable us to lay the claims of the National Lifeboat Institution before the British public during the present un precedented stormy period. In consequence of the liberality of that public, the insti tution has been enabled during the past twelve years to increase the number of its lifeboat stations from 12 to 125, so it may now be truly said that a lifeboat is to be found on every dangerous point of our coast where a sufficient num ber of men are located to work it. But this very extended field of the operations of the in stitution has necessarily involved a large and increasing expenditure, not only in maintaining its great fleet of life boats, but also in rewarding the gallant men who are ever ready to man them. But the Institution does more than reward the men who go into its ONVII, boats, it also grants liberal payments to per sons who, either in their own boats or by any other means, are instrumental in rescuing the shipwrecked sailors. Thus it is that between 500 and 600 wrecked persons are now saved every year by the lifeboats of the institution and other means, for which services it grants rewards. The perusal of the reports of the dreadful effects of the late storm, and happily also' of the eueeessful efforts of so many daring services of our lifeboats, which saved during Thursday and Friday last 125 poor fellows from a watery grave, cannot fail to excite the sympathy of every one. We will only add that contributions are received for the Lifeboat Institution by all the London and county bankers, and by its secretary, Mr. Richard Lewis, at 14, John-street, Adelphi.—We are, sir, your obedient servants, THOMAS BAILING, Chairman. THOMAS CHAPMAN, Deputy-Chairman. 14, John-street, Adelphi, London, W.C., Deo. 8. UNIVERSITY INTELLIGENCE, CAMBRIDGE, Dec. 8. BROWNE SCHOLARSHIP. There will be an examination ot candidates for the Browne scholarship, lately held by Mr. Wm. Henry Stone, scholar of Trinity College, commencing on Monday, Feb. 1, 1864, at 9 o'clock. Any undergraduate may be a candidate for the said scholarship, provided he be not of more than three years' standing from the time of his first residence in the university. The names of candidates are to be made known to the vice-chancellor by their respective tutors not later than the Monday next before the commencement of the examination. CRAVEN SCHOLARSHIP. There will be an examination for the Craven scholarship, lately held by Henry Sidgwick, M.A., of Trinity College, commencing on Monday, February 1, 1364, at 9 o'clock. The names of the candidates must be made known to the vice-chancellor by their respective tutors not later than the Monday next before the commencement of the exa mination. LAW. The examination for the law and history tripos, and for the ordinary degree of 8.L., will commence on Thursday, the 17th inst., at 9 a.m., in the senate house. MARKETS —This Day. Fresh up to our market this morning the arrivals of home grown wheat were very moderate. Good and fine dry samples moved off slowly, at Monday's quotations ; other wise, the trade was dull, at quite that day's fall in the cur rency. With foreign wheat the market was by no means exten sively supplied. Sales, however, progressed slowly in all descriptions, at about stationary prices. Floating cargoes of grain were in slow request, at late rates. The barley trade was very quiet, and the show of samples was tolerably large. The trade, with the exception of good and fine malting parcels, ruled quiet, on former terms. The malt trade was in a sluggish state, yet no change took place in prices. The supply of oats on sale was moderate. On the whole, he demand ruled steady, and the quotations were supported. Beans and peas sold heavily, at barely late rates. Barrel flour was in moderate request, at full prices. English, Spanish, and French qualities moved off steadily, at late rates. ARRIVALS THIS WEEK. Wheat Barley. Malt. Oats. Flom. English--; 140 2lO 340 I 1,170 1 290 Irish.. — 500 • Foreign— 5,970 14,750 1,180 940 Om 1,2i0 brill. BOROUGH 110 P. Our market is firm, at full quotations. English qualities command 90s to 170 s; and foreign, 70s to 160 s per cwt. WHITECHAPEL. The supply of meat is moderate, and the trade for prime qualities is very fair. Beef, from 3s Od to 4s 2d; mutton, 3s 6d to 4s 8d; veal, 3s 8d to 488 d; and pork, 3s 6d to 4s 6d per 81bs by the carcase. PRUSSIA THINKS OF WAR.—There are at Berlin several pamphlets treating on the best way of fighting the French, or anybody. We notice "Die Offensive der Preussischen Armee entworfen von W. von der Herdo," and "Der Kampfweise der Franzosen ztt begegnen," by the same author. "Is THE SUN A COMET ?" a brochure by Matze nauer, is among the recent publications of the German press. CAMPBELL'S BRILLIANT CONVERSATIONAL POWERS,—I remember being told by a personage who was both a very popular writer and a very brilliant converser, that the poet Campbell reminded him of Gold smith—his conversation was so inferior to his fame. I could not deny it ; for I had often met Campbell in general society, and his talk had disappointed me. Three days after wards, Campbell asked me to come and sup with him tete d-tete. I did so. I went at 10 o'clock. I stayed till dawn; and all my recollections of the most sparkling talk I have ever heard in drawing-rooms afford nothing to equal th e t monologue. riotous affluence of wit, of humour, of fanc y , of gernus, that the great lyrist poured forth in his wondrous Monologue it was ;he had it all to himself,—Mr /Mar Lyttpn'a caxmlfano. LITERATURE: Ls Correspondent. 25 Nsvembre. No. 98. Ch. Douniol : Paris. Had we, at once, the leisure and the space for it, there is hardly anything that would afford us a purer, a sweeter, or a more elevating sense of gra tification, than the translating in copious frag ments, if not even in its entirety, the noble and beautiful treatise addressed to one of his Diocesans by the rarely gifted and illustrious Bishop of Orleans, upon The Studies, that is, upon What Ought to Constitute the Studies of a Man of the World, Les etudes d'un homme du monde. A mere synopsis of it would be worse than useless. All we can do, therefore, is to urge those who may have the opportunity of examining the last number of this brilliant periodical —one of the most brilliant, as it is also beyond all doubt one of the most elevating and wholesome, among the serial publications of the European Continent, Le Correspondant—to "read,mark, learn, and inwardly digest" every page, every sentence of the remark able paper we have just now particularized. It is the middle portion merely of a highly elaborated Letter, or rather as we have called it, Treatise, divided into three instalments; the first of these published in the October number; the second here presented to us in the November number; the third and concluding portion to be given in the December number of this same eloquent and able periodical, Le Correspondant. Several other remarkable contri butions to Le Correspondant are here in this current number of the review, dated the 25th of November. Augustin Cochin supplies two of these—namely, a charming criticism upon a work descriptive of Vil lage Life, a sort of Min Mitford view, done into French—and a brief but sufficient memorial of the Marquis de Brignole. H. Moreau descants upon the French policy in America, and H. de la Ville marque upon the Poetry of the Celtic Cloisters. As usual, M. Leopold de Gaillard epitomises' very cleverly and very readably the Events of the Month preceding the date of publication. But the charm and glory of the whole number is the opening paper before eulogised, that penned by Monsignore Felix, the Bishop of Orleans, cur " Les etudes dun homme du monde." Reading it—it is sitting at the feet of Gamaliel. The Useful Knowledge Society's Family Atlas, Parts 1. and 11. Edward Stanford. Having ourselves, several months back,commented at considerable length upon the extraordinary merits noticeable in the " Family Atlas," published by Mr. Stanford, for the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge, it remains for us here only to commend to public attention the fact that that Atlas is now in course of republication in a periodical form—namely in half-crown monthly parts. The two first in stalments are here issued in sequence by way of commencement. Eighteen others will follow in due course—it being definitively arranged that twenty parts shall comprise the whole work, including in it what is of the very last importance, namely, that Thumb or Ledger Index, which, it will be remem bered by all those who have already examined the Family Atlas in its integrity, when originally pub lished in a complete form as a superb folio, facili tated in so very remarkable a manner reference on the part of any one desirous of consulting it in a hurry. Although issued from the press at so very moderate a cost monthly to the subscribers, at a cost restricted to " the ridiculously small amount" of two-and-sixpence for each monthly part—it is particularly to be observed that there is no evidence whatever of deterioration in this Family Atlas, in any single particular, now that it is being thus serially republished. The whole of the eighty maps are to be included within the compass of the Twenty Half-crown numbers or parts. Each of those eighty maps being printed still upon "fine paper and beautifully coloured," according to the fair promise given in the prospectus. We can hardly doubt that a publication of such unquestionable value and indisputable beauty can fail to win for itself at once a very wide circulation. Let it but win the circulation that it really and truly deserves, and another important and considerable step will have been taken in the furtherance of the great cause of the self-education of the masses. The Gantry of Gongraphy. Part 11. W. and R. Chambers. Another instalment of this beautiful serial con firms the favourable impression produced upon our minds by the initial number. Two carefully en graved maps are prefixed to it—viz., sheets 1 and 2 of the World as Known to the Ancients. And, again, scattered plentifully among the letterpress penned by the Rev. Thomas Milner, well-known already as the author of the " Gallery of Nature," and other valuable works, also, like the present one, abound ing with information—there will be found here various illustrative and explanatory engravings. Before the close of the monthly number, or part, here issued from the press with the maga zines for December, the subscriber to the " Gallery of Geography, Pictorial Descriptive," will find himself carried far into the ninth chapter of this very comprehensive work, a work renounting step by step with admirable minuteness, a minuteness never wearisome, a Tour of the World. Central Asia, Africa, and Australia form the theme of this ninth chapter. The previous chapter, that is the eighth, relating to the Arotic and Antarctic Expe ditions. In the chapter before that, the seventh, Mr. Milner epitomises very agreeably all that is in any way worth knowing in regard to the Russian Discoveries, recounting in particular the Circum navigation accomplished during the last century— the Eigthteenth of the Christian epoch. The New Review. No. VIII. This serial shows no flagging of its energies. It partakes more of the character of a quarterly review than of the more ephemeral of the monthly magazines. Its subjects, it is true, are drawn from the topics of the day, but they are discussed with a care, an elaboration, and a thoughtfulness that con vert the passing article into the nature of a literary or political essay. The Literature in the current number predominates over the Polities, and promi nent among the subjects is a lengthened criticism of M. Renan's " Vie de Jesus," which gives a carefal analysis of the false logic, the inaccurate reasoning, the extravagant absurdities of that work. Another French author of wider fame is also the origin of an essay, and the account of Victor Hugo's life and works will be read with considerable interest. Another literary character, though one of a very different stamp from the author of " Notre Dame," is analysed by the critics of the "New Review." The works of Miss Braddon, who has risen into somewhat sudden celebrity, are discussed with some judgment, and while the critic allows her the possession of considerable talent he is not slow to point out the vices and imperfections of her style. "Literary Lunatics" is the title of an interesting paper, giving an account of some psychological curiosities. " The Gypsies" is a paper which does not altogether coincide with Mr. Bor row's views of the blessings of life " under the greenwood tree;" and there are also papers on "Paris in 1863," and the writings of Dr. Trench. The Eclectic Review. This journal, which is in future to appear under the head of The Eclectic and Congregational _Review, is more varied, and consequently more attractive than usual in the present number. It opens with a lengthened essay on the great bard of Florence, followed by a notice of Mr. Allingham's new poem on the duties of an Irish landlord ; afterwards we meet with essays on the various i n terpretations of the 13th chapter of St. Matthew, and on Dr. Vaughan's Revolutions of England. The notices " include a review of in "Our Book Cl ub fellow's latest volume. Two vols.—Once o r t w i ce a year one a book with a sen se o f rea l gratitude to the rises author, MEMOIRS OF i:ei . reading JANE CAMERON, FEMALE C ONVICT. By a Prison Matro and this book is on® o f t h ese. There are many ways in which it has a rare valu e . W e do not know any Pr" ious work. for insta nce , w hi ch has thrown such • from light on the life of the professional thief class. As a work of art the book has also high claims. Not only is Jennie Cameron a living person, but, we may almost say, there is not a mere lay figure in the book. Few living writers could have brought out so sharply such characters as Jennie's lover, " Omni° Jock" and " Black Barney." The artistic touches in the book are worthy of De Foe.—The Reader. vs , v v i r i c tflirt r * 1,4 w HER MAJESTY. WINDSOR CASTLE, Dee. 8. The Queen, accompanied by their Royal Nigh' nesses Princess Helena, Princess Louise, Princess Beatrice, and her Serene Highness the Princess Hohenlone, and attended by the Hon. Caroline Cavendish and the Hon. Flora Macdonald, drove le the New Lodge, and honoured the Belgian Minislel and Madame Van de Weyer with a visit. Colonel the Hon. de Ros attended on horseback' Her M&jesty held a Council to-day. In attendance were the Earl Granville, the Duke of Somerset, Earl Russell, Earl de Grey and Ripon, and Viscou nt Palmerston. The Prince of Wales, by command of the Ctue e :; was introduced into the Privy Council. Ris I°s' Highness took his place at the Board. Sir William Gibson-Craig, Bart., Lord Cl er b , Registrar and Keeper of the Signet in Scotlan d ' it " command of the Queen, was sworn of her Ma l. Most Honourable Privy Council. Mr. Helps, the clerk of the Council, attended., Earl Granville, the Duke of Somerset, a nd I r ' r count Palmerston had audiences of her Majesty.d Mutu Coomara Swamy, a native of Ceylon' to member of the Legislative Council, was P re 6ell t o to the Queen, at an audience, by Earl Russ ell ' to deliver a book which he had received perinissi°° dedicate to her ajesty. The Duke of M Brabant arrived on a visit t° the — Queen. Lo r d de Mr Lord Talbot de Malabide has succeeded 1 4° — Tabley as Lord in Waiting• , . Ferdinand Richardt . has had the b° l3°J t submitting to the Queen his collection of 80 0 P a id ings and sketches taken in Denmark, Svceden' America. The Prince and Princess of Wa l4 ; Ro l Her Royal Highn ess th e P r i n c ess o f Willeg l h ' S ber Windsor Castle on Monday and dined Majesty in the evening. i v a leol His Royal Highness the Prince of " f ee attended by Colonel Keppel, went out hunt i l ' O O6 terday morning with the harriers and enjoyed excellent sport. till It is expected that their Royal Highnesses 200 leave Frogmore for Osborne on or about 08 or 22d inst. • n for The Duke d'Aumale has left his seat 1-- 40 0 cestershire on a visit to the Earl of Abingdon at Y" Abbey. t he lesv -4 _he Duke and Duchess of Somerset - p f o Admiralty on Friday or Saturday nest for Stover Devon, to pass the 'Christmas recess. a to The Marquis of Bute and Major-General an Hon. Mrs. Stuart have arrived at the St. George's ' 9 OV The Earl of Westmoreland is going 00 iti ' / 1 0 ably, and hopes are entertained of hi s ear ly rester health. teg ii The Earl of Powis, a ccom p an i e d by the li „c) ", ° ii rd 6 of Powis and Ladi es H er b er t, i s expecte d i n townt ° / ', o lel the close of th e wee k t o a t ten d t h e we ddi ng o f Lad, ' 1 Graham and Mr. Greville. t According to lett ers rece i ve d i n t o wn le B ng e 101 11 from La m bt on C as tl e , D ur h am , t h e C oun t ess of m -r and her infant son are progressing favourably. f , Lord and Lady Wodeho u s e arr i ve d in tov fr terday from Kimberley Park, Norfolk. t rol Lord and Lady Belper arrived in town le s-e from their seat in Derbyshire. $ l. Lord de Lisle and Dudl e y h a s left t he GeoTrgehe's Hotel. to/ 111 Chancellor of the Exchequer left yesterday for Hawarden Castle, Chester. "The 'Shakespeare Gazette ; a Weekly BeCer;ii, Proceedings Relative to the Tercentenary C el o pf tion," is just now forth com i ng . It i s int e nded bythe to supply a record of all proceedings connected 1 "7 0 , 1 i' movement for commemorating the three hundredth roll versary of the birthday of Shakespeare. It will information respecting the transactions of the ne ve : 0 4 committees at home and abroad, and will also consi tle ' r ps. discuss various projects and suggestions as they , 8 ,011 6 m". and will open its pages to correspondents i n t e rested subject. iogt an SPIRIT inge n ou s MEDIUMS optici a O n U , T vv - DhOoN Et.x!—hibMitrs. stns i work at 24, Regent-street, h as constructed his ca o an instrufetito by means of which the spirits which are now hauntil l b e ol several theatres and singing- rooms ma y b e seen and )3 4 - to yet greater advantage. t All sorts of writing ono A lb e , and rapping under tables can b e d one by Mr. Ig el f - e ile spirits, with an appearanc e o f rea lity w hich nag ht-ee vas; the quickest eye and ear. A hand appears on the T es ta it writes a word and rub s it ou t aga i n , but th e 7,, not feels for it in vain, f or ne ith e r t h e h an d which 'grOnly the the written words can be found by actual tou ch ' writtea , The experiment is very strange a nd phantom can obliterate what the pha ntom - A dertai le science alter all must beat the conjurors. I V- t, the that Mr. Manning and his fellow-opticians will driv Homes and Fosters quite out of the field. " Oa °it) A NEW VARIABLE STAR T x ele night of the 28th of July last," writes Mr. P s . . o startling, bu t rel 4 dell, " I observed that the star No. 4078 of Zone P iii " o r deg. of the ' Bonner Sternverzeichniss' was about on e 4 0 79, nitude and a quarter less than its neighbour No• of although on the ni g ht of the 25th of June I hati_oo. down these two stars as being nearly equal in brig ll ;: til ia Afterwards, on referring to my notes of reviews toe part of the heavens, made at Mr. Worthington's ct e oit t tory on August 19, 1859, and June 18 , 1860, I foullti tva at the former date both these stars were seen, and aget e 4o o, nearly equal in mngnitude, but that a third star, IV', t hat was invisible, while under the latter date it is states inth No. 4077 was then visible , and estima t ed to be of o°lloo magnitude; but no mention is made of the two ets rs At ion 4078 and 4079. I have since made a careful e xalt:Li tt- o r* of the positions of these and some of the neighbour ing 1414 and have satisfiad myself that the star seen on J ur 2 e n 1860, was No. 4079, a n d no t N o. 4077, as was the e ;:e,r- : posed, and that th ere f ore b ot h 4077 a nd the ven g that time invisible, o r a t a ll even t s, b e low v . n magnitude. After the 28th o f July 104 7 2 . 4t h of gradually diminished in brightness until sh eilt b • o crease cl t and attained a maximum about the August, when it passed a minimum. It hao '4l 6icetiober• at maxi mum ' Ai ; the magnitude at a minimum was 11.3, and range of variation being therefore 24 raegnitudes. loos io ratio of light employed in determining the 2 . 512,•it follows that the brightness of the .`sea' Ya 1 .1 1 nine times greater at maximum than at inila rgui32 o . par r observations made since the 28th of July last, 1, 0 fa' with those of August 19th, 1859, and June 18th, 1 j u e : no io dicate a period of about four months. As two te . 1 3 70 t variables had been previously discovered in Aquila, 0 % 0 of of Oe Q.9_ tile variable will, according to Professor Argelander's ere:off nomenclature, be denoted by the letter T. The P l l 5 clef' Aquila 3 brought up to 1855 is 2011. sm. 25'45. pluis 13.4 m." o °l' THE COURT NEWSMAN is likely to su ff e r 10 . ons blow, says the London _Review, in the O P for tion of the lonian Islands to the Crown of Greece , l , many reasons he has taken the lonia n Islands ulie,eololl especial protection. The Isles of Greece, where I,.eritso Sappho burned and sang, are quite worthy in therPoit of the distinction. Their hist or y , their climate, as d s d ; l on g experience, that t 00 figs, all render them illustriou s. Nobody, therefere';°r plains of their figuring in th e most fashionable co,la every daily paper. Every one who reads his ocgo knows, eventsby w hich are always hap W e ll' j a t h o n u r d e r great n e w a h lc c a h r e s p f e u o e tyitcoaloccupy the attention of the Court e< man in proportion to their undoubted importance, so, Majesty has always been walking on the elopes. The Ao tt) is always accompanying somebody .in BYLnagstly, despatches are always arriving ir .a ° h ° f lili I.Baoerrarditarigeieeigh Commissioner of the lonian Islands. I 'Z De arrival of the lonian letter-bag is usually thus pal e7 - 5 ,01'l fore Europe, as if it were a fresh birth in the Roye l fols ll y ea fa n y b o e ur s e a d id re i r s so t n h , at t N h o e 0 1:1 i s; li fic 0 0 : is noCommissionertknown. A a ll h t ig h h at i roy or Lord-Lieutenant, excepting the Governor o I 1J , 1 9 ; 31 land, whose missives are as punctually acknowle dg r each half his chances in fashionable life. His letters . c at ; :i i ti e ing England invariably divide public attention dee' most notable celebrities. On some fitful occasions, occasional flashes of intelligence as to the condoet:otitia business of the Stat e c ome t o us on th e came high ut f - 14 .04 :: At these times, w e l earn i n genera l that the Duke °e o'" castle has transacted business at the foreign (/`' i,l b i announcement which, in the opinion of th e ctl i e- 0 e ver t torian, is not to be made lightly or with respec t t ot head of a Government department. After such el2,°,iiijc,Pri of communicativeness ffi , the ocial historian relapse 670 into his observation of the chaplains, th e game' Pi:to;torejt the pony carriages, coupled always with the eP olo tec h performances of the Lord High Commissioner. to , e eig; be the reason, the lonian Islands seem thoroughly t° upon his mind. Every morning, as we take LIP Islam, t hese g tel at breakfast, we say to ourselves, "Here are _ A ye- , o , of the Blest again :"—" Despatches were receir col oo,' 0 day at the Colonial Office frcm the Lord il'o_ sut to ,7 30 sioner of the lonian Islands. Despatches were ",..0 • to be s ret' official chronicler's occupation seems likely 1130 Lord High Commissioner of the lonian Islat i ts t f, torate. shortened by the English resignation of lon