The Sun. — London, England, 1864-11-22 00:00:00

Artillery Experiments at Portsmouth. The competitive firing with the naval 70 pounder guns at Portsmouth—one wedge breech loading Armstrong, one shunt rifled muzzle loading Arm. strong, and one Whitworth muzzle loader—was brought to a close, with the exception of some few rounds from the Whitworth gun, to ascertain the penetration of shot under water, with the shell fir. ing at the Aifred target ship on the 15th inst. ; and the labours of the special committee, which have conducted the experiments throughout,at Shoebury. ness, Boxhill, and Portsmouth, having been all but concluded, a brief analysis of the general results of these c3stly experiments, so far as relates to the fir. ing rat Portsmouth, and from a non-professional point of view, may be interesting. Before further noticing the general results at Portsmouth, it may be as well to say a few words on the composition of the special committee who have conducted the expe. riments, and who have to present their report. The question to be decided—the future armament of a certain description of her Majesty's ships of war— is a purely naval one, and yet the military element predominates in the committee, and an officer of the Royal Artillery is its secretary. In thus referring to the committee none of its members can with justice complain, for, as already stated, the question to be decided on is one purely naval, and must have been found by the officers of the Artillery, Engineers and Infantry on the committee—not even excepting its respected and energetic president, Major Gen. Ran. dall Rumley—as profound a mystery as it would have been to almost the veriest landsman, This spe cial committee, which have had now for some time to conduct and have now to decide on a vitally im portant naval question,have been in fact an anomaly from first to last, but they have certainly not been a greater anomaly than the present laws and arranges ments which includes the armament of the navy in the army annual estimates. These anomalies have led to errors and confusion in relation to the outfit of her Majesty's ships; have had a most prejudicial effect on the important question of their armament, and have very nearly rendered worthless the facts obtained from the experimental shell firing by these 70 pounder guns at Portsmouth. Any assertion of this kind must necessarily be supported by presumed facts, and these facts can in the present instance be indisputably cited without fear of disproof. In the first instance the trials at Portsmouth have been generally understood to be a trial of the Armstrong and Whitworth guns and their shells as against an enemy, whereas it has been in fact but a trial of fuzes, and even then a lamentable mistake and failure. If a comparative trial of the guns and shells had been simply intended, the use of the Petman fuze (the best known description of percussion fuze we possess) would have given the required comparative results, and results which might have been im plicitly relied upon for their correctness, Instead of this course being taken, the committee unfortunately allowed the fuzes to be supplied with the guns and shell, and hence the trials degenerated into a trial of fuzes, deposing the main features of the trials—the merits simply of each gun and its shell. To this serious deviation from the straight course, which it must be supposed was laid down in the dB. cial programme of the committee's duties, was after wards added the additional error, and consequent confusion, of a wrong selection of the Whitworth fuze for shell firing en ricochet. It is well known that Col, Boxer has supplied all the fazes for the Whitworth shells,'or that they have been constructed on a theory approved by that officer. These fuzes we understand have been supplied of three diffe rent descriptions, as follows : L Wood time fuze—To act as a perfect percus sion fuze, and also to stand ricochet firing. 2. Metal percussion fuze—To act immediately after striking, or after a small interval, and to re sist ricochet on water. 3. Metal concussion fuze—To act on ricochet, either an water or on land, and to accomplish this it it has been made as sensitive as possible, and in• tended to fire the shell on the latter striking the water. Now, it must be evident to a mind of the most ordinary intelligence that Nos. 1 or 2 fuzee might in all propriety have been selected by the Committee for the Whitworth shell when the latter was fired en ricochet, but that No. 3 fuze should not have been used for the same purpose. The fact is, how. ever, that No. 3 (specially constructed to explode the shell on striking the water) was selected by the Committee for ricochet firing, and if reference is made to the returns of that firing it will be seen at once what a prejudicial effect this course had upon the action of the Whitworth shells. The ricochet shell firing commenced from the Stork gunboat over the Horse and Dean shoale, off Ports mouth, on the 7th inst., and, firing alternately with the shunt gun (the shell of the latter being fitted with the Elswick experimental fuze), the results of. 10 rounds fired from each gun gave the Whitworth shell eight bursts on grazing the water, and the shunt shell only one burst out of the 10 rounds. As the object of firing over the shoals was to ascertain whether the shells would withstand the; force evolved by the contact with the water, without bursting, it will be understood how really prejudi cial in the minds of the Committee this continuous bursting of the Whitworth shells en ricochet must naturally have been. Oa the 14th inst. this unfcr• tunate error in the selection of the wrong fuze for the Whitworth shell was more forcibly illustrated in the ricochet shell firing at the Alfred target ship in Porchester lake. Of 10 shells fired, eight burst on or after grazing the water (as intended by Col. Boxer), and two, which hit the ship direct, burst in the ship. There were no means at hand for account ing for this apparently extreme sensitiveness of the fuzes at the time, but now that the explanation is given respecting the fuzes, the wonder that existed in the minds of the Committee, that shells should explode on their first or second graze en ricochet, must vanish when it is found that the fuzes with which they were fitted were " concussion fuzes intended to burst on striking water." The shells from the shunt gun burst in many in stances prematurely, but this is believed to have been owing to :a slight excess of sensitiveness, a fault that could cosily be remedied by the Elswick Ordnance Company, and the more readily so, as the fuze was experimental. A comparative analysis of the effects of the Els wick and Whitworth shells would have been most interesting had they both been fired, as they should have been, with the Petman fuze, or had the right fuze—No. 1 or 2—been selected by the committee, or their representative, for the Whitworth small shell with its 21Ib bursting charge produced results which contrasted very favourably when compared with the 4-11 b bursting charge of the shunt, or 4103 bursting charge of the wedge shell,:while the seven 21 inch shells from the Whitworth with their 51b bursting charges created a greater amount of de struction in the Alfred target ship than any other like number of shells fired throughout the whole course ; but we understand these large shells, how ever effective they proved, were merely experimen tal, and will therefore not be allowed by the com mittee to join issue with the other shells in the offi cial report, which will be confined to the shells as laid down in the programme. This course reduces the competing shells to three kinds—the wedge, with 411 b bursting charge ; shunt, with 41lb burst ing charge ; and Whitworth, with its 2„I1b bursting charge. The wedge and shunt shells would most undoubtedly kill and wound a greater number of men on the gun-deck of an enemy's wooden ship in action than the small Whitworth shell would under like circumstances, owing to the fad of the Arm strong shell, with its greater diameter and nearly double bursting charge, breaking into a greater number of pieces than the Whitworth on exploding, if any comparison is to be band upon the rule that a shell's destruc tive powers must be measured by its bursting charge. This rule does not appear, however, to always hold good, for in several instances on board the Alfred, whore solid timber was met with by the shell previous to exploding, the Whitworth shell had exhibited a greater rending power than the softer shell from either the wedge or shunt guns. It would be futile to attempt any further com parative analysis of the effects of the Armstrong or Whitworth shells on board the Alfred target ship, for if the statement respecting the supply of three descriptions of fuze for the Whitworth gun and the selection of the " concussion" fuze by some one for ricochet firing is correct, then it becomes a grave question for the consideration of the (' mmittee whether the whole of the ricochet firing with the rival guns has not thereby become n 1 lined, and whether it will not be necessary t Lc) over the whole course again. In the "independent" and "quick" firing the difference in time between the Whitworth and shunt (both muzzle-loaders) was too trifling to be of importance either way, but the wedge (breech loader) was in advance of both the other guns in point of time, and proved itself eminently suitable for rapid shell firing at a ship's upper-deck gun, for sweeping an enemy's works with shell in pass ing along the face of works on the shore, or in forcing the entrance of an harbour, It is, however, unsuitable as a main-deck gun, as three or four such weapons fired on a ship's main-deck with any rapidity would stifle all the ship's crew. It is also a gun requiring considerable attention, its key, or looking bolt, being a rather delicate matter in con• nexion with its wedge pieces, and the latter being also liable to work stiffly every 30 or 40 rounds, from the certainty that the grooves in which the wedges work must foul after a certain number of rounds have been fired, a fault which can be tempo rarily remedied with a bucket of waterand wet cloth. The fouling of the Whitworth vent we have fully referred to in the trials, and be sufficient to remark further here that no difficulty whatever was experienced with it in its after firing, when the commonsense preeantion of passing the pricker wire through the vent was resorted to. In accuracy of shooting, so far as this was tried in the indepenv dent firing, the Whitworth certainly beat both the shunt and wedge gun, and in ease of loading it almost, if not quite, equalled the ordinary smooth bore. The Armstrong shunt and wedge guns are as near perfection perhaps as shell guns as any gun can possibly be rendered, if their effects are only considered when fired against the sides of a wooden ship. earthen parapets, wooden stockades, or any other like yielding substance. The Whitworth gun, with its large shell, pose sesses an equally destructive power with the shunt and wedge guns against like yielding substances, but with its small shell the other guns would ap. pear to have the advantage, if the rule is to be retained that the destructive power of the shells must be reckoned in proportion to their bursting charges. As a shot gun the Whitworth gun far excels both the shunt and wedge gun. Thus far the guns have only been spoken of in relation to their effects upon wooden ships and earthworks, &c. If they are considered in relation to iron plated ships and iron plated fortifications, the future fighting material of every first class Power at sea and on their coasts, then it must be at once admitted that these 70-p ou nd er guns are as useless as a schoolboy's peashooter. Naval and Military Intelligence. A Board of officers, consisting of a field officer of cavalry, president, an engineer officer, and a veteri• nary surgeon, assembled at the Royal Engineer Office, in the South Camp, Aldershott, a few days ago, to inspect and report as to the fitness for occupa tion of a sixty-horse stabl.e just completed for the Military Train at that station, and one of those in• tended to replace the temporary wooden stables burnt last year. The new stable is situated at the bottom of the R lines, South Camp, and is one of three in course of erection for the use of the sth Battalion Military Train. There will also be a new stable appropriated to officers' horses. Between the stables, and distinct, a forge is erected for the carry ing ou of the farriery, 8c3., in connexion with the battalion. The material used for the buildings is known as perzzie. It is composed of sand, shingle, and lime mixed together, and dried between boards. Tuis new composition has all the hardness of atone and great economy to recommend it. It is of a light cream colour, The flooring, if such it may called, of the stables is a very peculiar description. Good paving bricks are used, each being set in separately and with a cemented channel about an inch deep surrounding it. The little trenches thus made all run transversely to a central channel. The advan- tages of this system of pavisg applied to a stable where there is a large number of horses are consi dered very great, and to have a beneficial effect upon the health of the animals. o:her arrange• ments in the interior of the stable are of an im proved yet economical character. The cost of erec• tion, owing to the use of the composition above mentioned, has been comparatively small, and both the design and workmanship displayed in the con struction favourably reflect the abilities of the Royal Engineers, officers and men, and of other corps engaged in the work. Besides the stables above mentioned there are others in course of erection at the bottom of AV lines, for the use of the 2d bat talion Military Train. These will be built in a manner similar to those already described, and, when finished, will exhibit a great superiority over the wooden stabling long used in the camp. ;The regimental returns at Aldershott, just issued, show the following number of points to the best shots and the classification per cent. of men at tar get practice at that station on the 31st of October, 1864 :-2d Dragoons,—first period, 53 points ; second period, secondeclass, 43 points. 14th Hussars —first period, 44 points; second period, second class, 36 points. Commissariat Staff Corps—first period, 47 points ; second period, second class, not exercised. Ist (Royal) Dragoons—first period, 60 points; se cond period, second class, 47 points. 85th Regiment —first period, 63 points; second period, second class, 54 points ; third period, first class, 34 points; marks men per cent., 5. 31st Regiment—first period, 63 points ; second period, second class, 52 points; third period, first class, 36 points; marksmen per cent,, 4. 59th Regiment—first period, 64 points, second period, second class, 46 points; third period, first class, 29 points; marksmen, per cent., 5. 62d Regi ment—first period, 63 points ; second period, second class, 47 points ; third period, first class, 24 points ; marksmen per cent., 2. 39th Regiment—first period, 57 points; second period, second class, 49 points; third period, first class, 25 points; marksmen per cent., 2. 83d Regiment—first period, 60 points; second period, second class, 46 points ; third period, first-class, 32 points; marksmen per cent., 4. Ist battalion 14th Regiment—first period, CO points ; second period, second class, 48 points; third period, first class, 30 points; marksmen per cent., 4. 75th Regiment—first period, CO points; second period, second class, 45 points ; third period, first class, 32 points ; marksmen per cent., 2. 2d Battalion 60th Rifles (with Whitworth rifles)—first period, 64 points ; second period, second class, 52 points ; third period, first class, 38 points ; marksmen per cent.,l. The remains of Lieut.eCol. William Brookes, 75th Regiment, who expired in London on the 1 1th inst., were interred with military honours at Cave Ceme tery, near Farnborough, on Wednesday. The deceased officer served with considerable distinc tion in India 'during the mutiny. On his return to England in 1862 his Royal Highness the Commander-in-Chief appointed him Town Major of Dublin, and in further recognition of his services he was promoted to be lieutenant-colonel in the army, and was afterwards granted an unattached majority without purchase. He had only been in the enjoyment of his new post a few weeks, when be was attacked by the disease of which he died. The fourth annual report of the Aldershott Hos pital for the Wives and Children of Soldiers, signed and approved by Lieut.- Gen. Sir John Pennefather, K C. 8., has just been issued, from which it appears that the subscriptions and donations to that institu tion during the past twelvemonth, with the balance of £ll5 8s 5d from last year, amount to £306 as 7d, and the total expenditure to £lB9 19s 3d, leaving a balance in hand of £ll6 3i 4d. The committee ex press a hope that the benefits of this hospital have been widely felt, and record theirlthanks to Mr D. P. Barry, the secretary and medical officer, to Major Smith, the treasurer, and to the Ladies Committee for the general supervision which they exercised. The chartered East India troopship Robert Small, Capt. Darke, which arrived in the Thames on Sun day from India, with timeeexpired men and conva lescent troops from the various regiments serving in the Bombay Presidency, disembarked her troops at Government-quay, Gravesend, yesterday. Th e detachments on board included non.conamissioned officers and men from the 3d (Prince of Wales's) Dragoon Guards, 6th Dragoon Guards (Carabi neon), Royal Horse Artillery, lst Battalion of the 4th (King's Own), Ist Battalion 18th (Royal Irish), 28th Regiment, 33d (Duke of Wellington's) Regiment, 56th Regiment, 72d Highlanders, 103 d Royal Bombay Fusileers, 106th Bombay Light Infantry, and some native regiments, the whole numbering 84 non-commissioned officers and men, together with Capt, E. L. Dillon, 18th Regiment, Lieut. R. H. Fawcett, 33d Regiment, and Schools master M'Key, 19th Regiment. The Robert Small sailed from Bombay on the 28th July, the passage to Gravesend, including detentions, occupying 115 days. One men of the 6th Dragoon Guards and one child of the 4th Regiment died during the voyage, and there was one birth on board. The troops gene rally have been very healthy during the passage. The Lords of the Admiralty having decided on laying down a line of railway in Chatham Dockyard, communicating eventually with the lines converging in the town, instructions were yesterday received at the establishment directing the necessary reports and surveys to be made by the officials of the dockyard, preparatory to the works being carried into effect. The large sternpost for the ironclad frigate Belle• rophon, 14, 1,000 horse power, at Chatham, which was forged for the Admiralty by the Mersey Iron Company, was despatched to the dockyard yester• day by the London, Chatham, and Dover Railway Company, over whose line it was forwarded. The mass of iron, which is in one piece, weighs 16 tons 1 cwt 2 qrs 221 b, and is one of the largest forgings of the kind ever made for a vessel of war. In conse quence of the danger likely to arise from such a heavy mass crossing the wooden drawbridge leading to the garrison and dockyard, it will be conveyed to the Ordnance wharf by permission of the War Department, and there shipped to the dockyard for fixing in its place. The Warrior, iron frigate, Capt. Hon. A. H. Coch. rane, C. 8., will be paid out of commission at Portss mouth this morning. Yesterday morning the frigate was officially inspected in every part by Admiral Sir Michael Seymour, G.C.8., Port Admiral and Naval Commander-in• Chief at Portsmouth; The ship was dismantled to her lower masts, and cleared out en. tirely, with the exception of her engines and boilers, &c. The gallant admiral was received by Captain Cochrane. On the upper deck of the frigate he was engaged for some time with Capt. Cochrane exa mining the positions of the mast, and discussing the advantage of the present system of rig adopted in iron ships of such length al the Warrior and Black Prince. The Warrior when rigged has no less a weight than 200 tons aloft at one time in masts, yards, sails, and rigging. With the exception of her lower masts, she presents a clear view above her bulwarks, and also a clear view of the specious upper-deck from her tall-rail to her head-rail. The motto carved on the ship's wheel, " The Princess is much pleased," did not escape Sir Michael Sey mour's attention. The history of the motto is this. On the occasion of the Warrior escorting the royal yacht Victoria and Albert from Flushing to the Thames, with the then Princess Alexandra of Den mark on board, signal was made from the yacht to the Warrior, at the conclusion of the run across, by special desire of the Princess, " The Princess is much pleased,"and the officers of the frigate adopted the signal as the future motto of themselves and their ship while they remained together. From the upper deck Sir Michael Seymour descended to the main or gun deck, where he first made a minute inspection of a series of drawings and plans which have been prepared during the time the ship has been in commission, and which will be left as a legacy with the ship by her present captain for the benefit of those who may next command and serve in her. From the captain's cabin Sir Michael next proceeded round the main deck, inspecting the ar rangements of the messes and the general fittings of the deck, including the capstans and the work.. ing of the chain cables, &a. The upper and main decks of the frigate, the parts in daylight and above the water line, were certainly marvels of clean• liness. The engines lay fully exposed to view in every part. with cylinder covers off, crank shafts detached, crank and trunk bearings exposed, with slides, plummer blocks, &c., and all air-pump covers, valves, and cocks exposed, auxiliary engines being _ _ _ all dissected, &,. The condition of the dfferen bearings and facings was surprising. One hundred and ten doors had been unscrewed frcm the faces of the boilers, and a view thus given fore and aft of the tops of the furnaces, tubes, and tube plates, and nothing could be more satisfactory, considering the work the boilers have d , me during the three years and four months of the ship's commission. The most nainwe inspection cannot discover a fault in any part of the ship's hull; the frame and plating is as rigid as ever, and not a single instance exists 'tween decks or below of a bit of iron having given the hun dredth part of an inch. This could not be more satisfactorily proved than with the ship's sternpost, which has to bear a thrust of 56 tons from the screw shaft to propel the ship when she is under full steam, and which is now as immovable as it was on the day steam was first got up in the ship's boilers. The fol lowing has been the work of the ship :—Number of days steam has been up (under steam alone) 60; number of miles run when under steam alone, 7,810; total quantity of coal burnt (in tons) under steam alone, 3,132 ; total number of days steam has been up, 137 ; total number of miles ran under steam and sail combined, 8,434 ; total quantity of coals burnt, 3,018 ; total number of miles ran under sail alone 4,674—t0tal number of miles ran during commis, sion, 20,918. Admiral George Brine died at Richmond, Surrey, on Wednesday last. The gallant deceased, wbo had attained the age of 79 years, entered the Navy in February, 1797, and after serving in the Channel, at the Cape of Guod Hope, off the Isle of France, and in the Rio de la Plata, was advanced to lieutenant April 15, 1803, and in that capacity was for some time stationed off Guernsey, and at the close of 1804 and in 1805 officiated as Flag Lieut. to his father, Admiral George Brine, who held the second command at Plymouth. After fur ther serving for seven years in the Channel, Medi. terranean, and Baltic, he was promoted to the com. mand of the Sheldrake, 14, in 1812, and served in that ship in the Baltic, North sea, and Downs until August, 1815, and from that date until posted, Dec. 7, 1818, commanded the Mosquito, 18, at StHelena. He accepted the retirement Oct. 1, 1846, became Rear Admiral Aug. 17, 1851, Vice Admiral Sept. 10, 1857, and Admiral March 23, 1863. By the death of Admiral George Brine Admiral Henry Collier succeeds to the 253 list. He is the fourth son of the late Admiral Sir George Collier, LB., and entered her Majesty's service, under the come mend of the Hon. Capt Paget, on board the Bril- liant, following him into the Hydra, Endymion, and L'Egyptienne, as midshipman, finishing his time on board the Canopus, flagship of Admiral Sir Thomas Lewis. When he entered the service the Brilliant was attached to the Channel Fleet, under Admiral the Earl St Vincent, then blockading the French fleet in Brest. He was Lieutenant of her Majesty's ship Banterer at the capture of Copen., hegen in 1807, and of the Amelia, when, accompa nied by her Majesty's brig Datterel of 18 guns, from the squadron of Admiral Sir Robert Stopford, she chased and destroyed three French frigates. In the Amelia he was at the capture of La Monde, of 16 guns, and La Rejouie, of 8 guns. He was First Lieutenant of the Leda at the capture of the Island of Java in 1811, after which he was appointed Governor of the Naval Hospital at Madras. Sub sequently he commanded the Hesper, the Crocus, the Falmouth, and the Espiegle. He served on the home station, West Indies, and Cape of Good Hope until promoted to the rank of Post• Capt. in 1822, and appointed to the Clarence, of 80 guns. In December, 1852, he was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral ; in January, 1858, to that of Vice■ Admiral ; and in June, 1863, to that of Admiral. ----' [ADVERTIS EMENT.]—HoIIoway's Pills.—Wrongs made Right.—Every day any bodily suffering is permitted to andtthh them a through imperfect digestion, may make themselves stout usually strong continue renders it more certaia to become chronic or dan gerous. Hollow a y' s pur i fying. cooling, and strengthening pills are well adapt e d f or any irregularity of the human body, and should be t a k en when the stomach is disordered, the liver deranged, th e kid psys inactive, the bowels torpid, or the brain muddled. W it h this medicine every invalid g h can cure himself, and those who are wea k an d i n fi rm by Holloway's exce ll ent pil ' s. A few doses of mitigate the moat painful symptoms caused by undigested food, from which they thoroughly free the ali mentaryand completely rest ore i ts natural power and action, rHE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 22, 1864. RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE. INDIAN TRAMWAY. The third ordinary meeting of this company was hold yesterday at the office, Moorgate-street ; Mr G. Norton in the chair. The Secretary, Mr M. R. Scott, having read the notice convening the meeting, the report was taken as read. The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the report, expressed his regret at the absence from illness of Sir M. Stephenson, their able and indefatigable chairman, who was fully :acquainted with every detail. He said that regret was expressed by the directors in the report respecting the course adopted by the Secrete' y of State for India, which had the effect of retarding and limiting the operations of the company in constructing cheap branch lines as feeders to the great trunk lines of railway in India. It was a very delicate subject to complain of the course the Government had adopted to wards the company, and if the shareholders had been misled or disappointed as to the prospects of the undertaking, it was not the fault of the directors, as there was no want of exertion on their part to carry out the affairs of the company successfully. Their efforts had been inter rupted to.the great detriment of trade in India, and in a much smaller degree to that of the interests of the share - holder,. So long as the great railways of India depended on the construction of those cheap lines for their development, and so long as the local Governments were prevented from expending money on the construction of ordinary roads to supply that want, the intentions of the company would be delayed, and the general interests would suffer, The local Governments in India were fully alive to the importance of these tramways, and were ready to carry out a wise and fair policy to insure their construction. There was really very little difference between the terms proposed by the Govern ment and themselves. Their chairman, on the part of the company, had asked such terms only as were fairly required to oarry out the undertaking. The local Government were prepared to carry out those views, and, in the first instance, to construct one experimental line in each presidency, and, therefore, nothing could have been lost in conceding those terms, which, after all, were only sufficient to obtain the capital. The local Governments could best appreciate what was immediately wanted to develops the resources of the various districts; but the Secretary of State for India had in terposed, and at once put an end to those arrangements, on the ground that the terms which the local Governments were willing to concede were better than those accorded to the Indian Branch Railway Company. There were various circumstances which rendered It impossible to construct all roads on exactly the same terms without a guarantee. One line would be more costly than another, and in other cases the traffic might not be so plentiful or remunerative on one route as on another; What they wanted of the Govern ment was to pay the company as a subsidy half the cost of constructing a common road through any district which might be selected by the Government authorities, and the company would do the rest. The Government insisted on having the line laid on a gauge of Eft 6in, while the com pany's calculation was for a gauge of 3ft 6in, and, instead of giving the company a subsidy of half the cost of a com mon road, they were offered only one-fourth the cost. The company had offered to extend the gauge to Eft 6in., pro vided the Government would give a subvention equivalent to half the cost of a common road, but this was refused; and at the last meeting the shareholders very properly de cided on limiting (heir outlay to the one line now under construction in the Madras Presidency. It was 17 miles in length, and the capital of the company was then limited to £lOO,OOO, of which £57,000 had been expended. There remained an :ample balance, not only to complete the line from the Madras Railway at Arconum to Conjeveram, but to extend it three and a half miles further to Wallahjahbad. The accounts of the existing traffic on this line of tramroad exceeeed the original calculations. Conjeveram contained 174,000 inhabitants, and there was a very large traffic be. tween that place and the line to Madras, particularly in salt and grain. There were several festival days in the course of 10 months in each year,and on two special days the num ber of passengers was between 30,000 and 40,C00. There was no doubt they would have a very adequate revenue. The construction of this line was commenced in January last, and about 12 miles of it were all but completed, and every possible exertion would be made to open the line throughout by May next, in time for the grand festival. Mr ALLAN seconded the motion for the adoption of the report. In reply to questions it was stated that the cost of the line to Conjeveram would be about £75,000. The Madras Railway Company had afforded them every facility in their power. The contract or arrangement with the Madras Go vernment was for a subvention of £25 per mile per annum, for a single line having a gauge of 3 feet 6 inches, but that subsidy had been since reduced to £l2 10s per mile per annum ; but that was a matter of no consequence under the circumstances. The directors had not taken any fees; the engineers (Sir C. Fox and Mr G. Berkley) were giving their services to the company for little more than expenses out of pocket, and the office expenses were paid between this and another company. The report was then unanimously adopted, the retiring directors, Mr A. H. Campbell, Mr T. Card well, and Major General C. J. Green were re-elected, and also the retiring auditors, Mr J, A. Franklin and Mr G. Smith. On the motion of Mr MAXWELL, a vote of thanks to the chairman and directors concluded the proceedings, EASTERN BENGAL. The report of the directors states that the gross receipts for the half year ending June 30 last amounted to £15,915, against £33,748 for the corresponding half of 1863, showing an increase of £12,197. The number of passengers carried was 609,580, against 422,164, showing an increase of 177,416. The receipts per train mile amounted to 7s 11d, against 6s 91d for the corresponding half of 1863. The re ceipts per mile open were £4lB, against £307. The expenses were 53.29 per cent. of the gross receipts, the whole of the cost of maintenance being now for the first time charged against revenue. Sinco the 15th May last the maintenance of the permanent way had been carried on by the com pany's own staff, and the result had been most satisfactory, as the cost had averaged 33 per cent. less than the lowest rate at which responsible contractors had offered to do the same work. The contract with Messrs Brassey, Paxton, and Wythes for the construction of the railway had been satisfactorily completed, and the accounts in connection with it had been finally closed; the balance having been paid by the company, and a release and discharge in full of all de mands having been received. On the 4th Juno the third class fares were increased 50 per cent., and a fourth class was established at the original third class fare of 3 pies (about three-eighths of ld a mile.) This experiment had met 's agent h a d p resse d the Governmentwit h great n , cti o d n the hie com raisingpY an also the first and second class fares 50 per cent., which would only bring such fares to the standard of those of the East Indian Railway, The directors hoped the Government would give their assent to this just and politic measure. The.local Government had determined to construct basins on the circular canal adjoin ing the terminal station at Calcutta, and to execute other works which would affird facilities for the transport of goods by water to and from the station. The traffic had been worked during the half year without accident of any kind to the public or the company's servants, which showed the care and attention of the company's officers in the per formance of their sevetal duties. The directors, acting on the request of the Secretary of State for India, had taken steps to borrow on debentures bearing 5 per cent. interest £200,000, part of the money authorised to be raised by the last special meeting. The revenue account for the half year ending the 30th of June showed that £45,946 had been re ceived, and £24,480, or 53'29 per cent, expended, leaving a balance of £21,460. The steamer traffic revenue account for the half year showed that £142 had been received, and £758 expended, leaving a balance of £616 against revenue. The capital account showed that £1,493,301 had been expended. The balance overdrawn amounted to £93,301, ,the sum paid on capital account being £1,400,000. SCINDE. The traffic returns on this railway for the three weeks immediately preceding the departure of the mail from India amounted to £6,113, being £175 in excess of the receipts in the corresponding period of last year. P UNJA.UB. The Viceroy, accompanied by the Lieutenant-Governor of the Punjaub and about 200 of the chief civil and military residents and others, opened a section of this company's railway from Lahore towards Mooltan on the 19th of Octo ber. His Excellency adverted to the great advantage of rail way communioation, and expressed his approval of the arrangements for opening that portion of the line. SALE OF THE EASBY ABBEY WINES.—This email but choice collection of wines was brought to the hammer in London, on Friday last, by Messrs. Fuller and Horsey, and attracted a large attendance of connoisseurs. The prices realised indicate the character of the winos : Port, vintage 1820, £l6 per dozen ; vintage 1827, £l5 5s per dozen; vintage 1827, £l2 to £l3; vintage 1834, £l0; vintage 1834, £6 13s to £7 78 ; vintage 1840, £5 ; vintage 1847, £4 4s ; vintage 1851, £3 14s ; East India Madeira, £6 68 ; Claret £5 6s to £6 178 ; very old Sherry, £3 16s ; Domecqs Sherry, £3 14s to £4. BREAKFAST BEVERAGE.—Homooopathic practitioners, and the medical profession generally, recommend cocoa as being the most healthful of all beverages. When the doc trine of homoeopathy was first introduced into this country, there were to be obt fined no preparations of cocoa either at, tractive to the taste or acceptable to the stomach ; the nut was either supplied in the crude state, or so unskilfully manufactured as to obtain little notice. J. Epps, of London, Homceopathic Chemist, was induced in the year 1839 to turn his attention to this subject, and at length succeeded, with the assistance of elaborate machinery, in being the first to produce an article pure in its composition and so refined by the perfect trituration it receives in the process it passes through, as to be most acceptable to the delicate stomach. For general use Epps's Cocoa is distinguished as an invigo rating, grateful breakfast beverage, possessing a most deli cious aroma. Dr. Hassall, in his work, "Food and its Adulterations," says —" Cocoa contains a great variety of im portant nutritive principles —every ingredient necessary to the growth and sustenance of the body." Again: "As a nutritive, cocoa stands very much higher than either coffee or tea." Directions—Two teaspoonfuls of the powder in a breakfast cup, filled up with boiling water or milk. Secured in tin-Lined ilb., Ob., and 11b. labelled packets, and old by grocers, ccontecti9nera, and gherniato.—[ADTT.J The Promotion of Social Science and the Amendment of the Law. Tho second meeting of the Department of Jurisprudence and Amendment of the Law was held last night, when a paper was road by Alfred Waddilove, D.C.L., on "The Expediency of Abolishing the Rules of Evidence which Exclude the Testimony of the Parties in certain Civil Suits and of Defendants in Criminal Trials." In consequence of an engagement of Fitzroy Kelly, Q,C., Mr Daniell, Q C., took the chair. The minutes of the last meeting having been read, Dr. WADDILOVE proceeded with his paper. Before pro ceeding he wished to observe that it had been already read in the Department of Jurisprudence cf the Social Science meeting held lately at York, and was now the same, except a few material alterations he had made in it. According to the excellent treatise of Mr Pitt Taylor on evidence, seven parties were now competent to give evidence in suits in courts of law,but he would reduce that number to four. Those should be—first, that all parties in suit, civil or criminal, should be permitted to ten 'er their own evidence ; secondly, that a husband should be competent to give evidence against his wife and a wife against her husband ; thirdly, that all parties should be competent to give evidence to relieve them selves from any charge preferred against them; and fourthly, that judges should have the power of summoning any per son before them for the purpose of giving evidence in every case. Down to the year 1833 the evidence given in courts of justice was left entirely to the dicta of judges, which were often very unsatisfactory ; and in that year Lord Brougham brought in a bill which altered that state of things. Several changes had been made since that time, but still the law was anything but what it should be. He pro posed, therefore, in the first instance, that all parties to a suit, civil or criminal, should be competent to give evi dence. At present petitioners in the Divorce Court were examined, and he did not see why the principle should net be extended still further. That was not so in an actian for breach of promise of marriage, although it was admissible for a breach of contract, Now surely there was an anomaly in that, because a breach of promise of marriage was evi dently a breach of contract, and the same evidence was ap plicable to both. With respect to the power he proposed to give judges to summon any witnesses they pleased before them, he thought it would be a most important alteration in the present law. At present in the Divorce and Ecclesias. tical Courts, cases were adjourned for the production of further evidence, though he admitted that such would be a difficult proceeding in cases where juries were concerned, because of the impossibility of getting the same jury again. Then again, according to the present law, a prisoner once given in charge to a jury they could not separate without either convicting or acquitting him, and that no doubt created a great difficulty,, but it could be sur mounted, and other anomalies removed from their pre sent system, which did great injustice and produced serious inconvenience. Mr EDGAR thought the society were deeply indebted to Dr Waddilove for the able paper he had just read, but there were many points in it to which he objected. He did not agree with him that power should be given to a judge to postpone a case to obtain further evidence, because he be lieved it would produce great mischief and injustice. With respect to plaintiffs being allowed to give evidence in civil cases, he saw nothing in it injurious to society, but he had serious doubts whether they would ever be able to carry a bill to enable a prisoner charged with felony to give evidence on his own behalf. That was attended with many serious difficulties, and for his own part he could not see his way to their removal. Mr. FREDERICK HILL believed that public opinion was in favour of a prisoner being allowed to give evidence in his own behalf, but against him being compelled to do so. Whether they looked to the innocent or guilty, or the pre servation of society, he saw no objection whatever to such a course being pursued. If a man were charged with an offence, surely it would be absurd to say to him that he could not be heard in his own defence. He was, therefore, pre pared to agree with Dr. Waddilove, and believed that some change was absolutely necessary. Ho was also prepared to allow husband and wife to give evidence in criminal matters but he would not wake it compellable, unless in cases where a charge of adultery was made by one against the other and then for the sake of eliciting the truth and doing justice, ho was prepared to insist on its being given. Mr ALLEN thought the advantages of allowing a prisoner to state his own case were rather overrated. For his own part he did not believe his mouth was shut, because when before the magistrate he was permitted to say whatever he pleased and that was given in evidence upon his trial. Did any one believe the truth would be better elicited by allow ing prisoners to make statements on oath ? He did not ; and was therefore against the proposition put forward to allow prisoners to be examined in their own behalf. Mr HASTINGS observed that a statement before a magis trate was made on the spur of the moment, and without the advice of counsel. It might also happen that between the time he:was committed and the trial further evidence might be produced, to which he should have the opportunity of replying. That applied especially to cases which often oc curred, of statements given by policemen as to alleged con versation with a prisoner previous to his trial. Cases of that kind often occurred, and it was unjust to prevent a prisoner from giving them, if he could, a denial upon oath. Mr PALMER was in favour to a certain degree of the propositions put forward, except that which allowed a pri soner to give evidence in his own case. He believed it was introducing a principle of great danger, and especially in jurious to an innocent man. Dr SMITH was in favour of allowing a prisoner to be examined, in order to give an explanation of the charge brought against him. Mr DILLON reminded them that it was a maxim of British law that no man was guilty until found so, and that was directly opposed to allowing a prisoner to be sworn and give evidence in his own case. Mr NEWMARCH supported the principle put forward by Dr Waddilove, and hoped another year would not pass be fore some radical changes were effected, • After a few words from Mr ELLIOTT and Mr SHEAN, Mr TEULON moved that the paper read be referred to the standing committee of the department, with liberty to deal with it as they thought proper, and to report thereon, The motion being seconded, Dr WADDILOVE thought the question was one worthy of their consideration, and believing a further discussion neces sary, he should move that the debate be adjoerned. After some discussion the amendment was withdrawn, and the original resolution passed. Tho proceedings then terminated. Scandal at Hereford. The Hereford Police -court was on Thursday crowded to excess, to hear a charge of assault brought by Miss Morgan, a teacher of languages and music, and an artist of some repute, against Mr Charles Lingen, surgeon, for an assault. There were also two cross-summonses, charging her with having struck, kicked, pulled the whiskers of, and otherwise assaulted the said Mr Charles Lingen, in the public streets of Hereford, and calling upon her to find sureties of the peace. It may be necessary to state that Mr Lingen is an old and most respectable practitioner in llereford ; that Miss Morgan is the daughter of a medical man, now dead ; and that in August c f last year she brought an action against Mr Lingen for having written and said she was insane, by which she tyleged he ruined her prospects. The cause, which lasted three days, was tried at Gloucester. The Court de posed that the communications were of a confidential nature, and gave a verdict for the defendant. Since that time the plaintiff has been unable to procure teaching, and has lived chiefly upon the kindness of friends who have sympa. thised with her in her reduced condition and broken spirits. There have been several rencontres between Mr Lingen's family and Miss Morgan since the trial, and on the 7th Mr Lingen and this lady met in one of the principal streets of the city. The evidence as to what took place on that occa sion was both lengthy and conflicting. Miss Morgan swore that Mr Lingen struck her with his walking-stick, and made use of violent language; and he admitted that he raised his stick, but that it was to save his face from an attack she made upon him. For Mr Lingen it was proved that Miss Morgan did strike him several times, and, while holding on him by both whiskers, kicked him most determinedly upon his shins, thereby discolouring them. Miss Morgan admitted this, but pleaded that she did so in self-defence, and volunteered to produce his whiskers. The magistrates retired to consider their decision, and at length announced that they had determined to dismiss the charge of assault brought by Miss Morgan against Mr Lingen. The counsel for:that gentleman thereupon withdrew the charge of assault against the lady, leaving the Bench to deal with the third summons, calling upon Miss Morgan to find sureties to keep the peace against Mr Lingen and his family for six months. Miss Morgan refused to comply with these conditions, and told them they had better send her to prison at once, They declined to do that, but said they would give her till Monday to consider what course she would take, — Birmingham Post. THE EASTERN FISHERIES.—The catches of her• rings off the eastern coast of late have been on a very large scale. In two days last week 1,800 lasts or 23,760,000 fish were landed at Groat Yarmouth. Prices have ranged from £1 to £l4 per last, averaging about £9 per last. A Lowestoft report also state that the boats con nected with that port have been prosecuting the herring voyage successfully. Thus, on one day last week 220 lasts of fish were landed at Lowestoft. ALL SAINTS' CHURCH, WINDSOR.—Thi3 new church, in the town of Windsor, reared under the immediate auspices and with the liberal aid of her Majesty, was yes terday consecrated by the Bishop* of Oxford. Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales and the Princess Helena, attended by Lady Caroline Barrington, the Countess of Macclesfield, and other members of the Court, were present at the service. The Bishop was attended by two chaplains, the Dean of Windsor, the vicar of the parish, and about GO other clergymen. The general congregation also was a very large one, His lordship preached with his accustomed eloquence; and after the sermon the deed of consecration was impressively read by Mr J. M. Davenport, the Regis trar of the diocese, and the Holy Vomrannion was kubse- Tautly adrainietered, SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNAL S. -4 - TIMES.—No ono who has given himself the trop. ble to compare the conditions under which the pre sent election of a President for the United States is carried on with the position of affairs when the same momentous event took place four years ego will find the least difficulty in accounting for the event we yesterday announced as almost certain—the return of Mr Lincoln a second time as President of the United Slates by a very large majority. In 1860 the great fabric of the American Union was still in vigorous existence; nobody could surmise that it was so deeply undermined, or that the walls which seemed so strong and so massive rested only on wooden props, and were already tottering to their fall. Mr Lincoln was elected President in 1860 by the persons chosen for that purpose by the votes of the whole Union, From the Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico, from the Atlantic to the spurs of the Rocky Mountains, a single people met together, and the Republican party, which proved to be the stronger, prevailed. At that time the Democrats had in their hands the disposal of the Executive Government and all ttle power and influence it confers. They had, besides, the votes of Southern States, which, since the dividing line of American politics has become the question between the maintenance and the abolition of slavery, have uniformly cast their vote on the side of the Demo cratic party. They had the advantage of a long ad ministration of power and of being opposed by a candidate probably the most obscure whom the caprice of fortune and the suffrages of the multi tude ever raised to sovereign power, even in the United States of America. Yet with all these advantages they were utterly and completely defeated, and from that defeat has sprung the civil war which has so effectually prepared the way for a second disaster to their cause, The Southern States, which then voted on the side of Democracy, are there to vote no longer; they have left the Union and the Constitution, and sur rendered altogether the right of influencing the election of a President to whose Government they no longer mean to submit themselves, and with whose nomination, therefore, they no longer claim to have any concern. The whole of the votes of these States must therefore at once be deducted from the Democratic strength. They have lost, besides that, the power of control over the civil Government, and the influence derived from the enormous patro nage it possesses. At the last election they had the disposal of the finances of the State; but the Repub licans at the present time dispose not only of the comparatively insignificant sum which is raised by annual taxation, butof the incredibleamounts which are produced by loans raised for the purpose of car rying on a war distinguished by a prodigality of treasure even greater than its prodigality of blood. The Republicans have, besides, the absolute com. mend of the army and the navy ; they appoint the officers of both, and the troops vote under their im mediate direction and influence. Besides all this, they have manufactured sham Constitutions and claim for their President the votes of States which are really out of the Union, and which, had they been in it, would inevitably have voted against him. They overawe great provinces and large cities by the most barefaced exercise of military power; and, not content with all this, they impose arbitrary tests of their own creat ion on the voter before he is ad mitted to the suffrage. The Democrats, on the other hand, are thoroughly disunited among themselves, The nomination of Gen.M'Clellan at Chicago was ob tained by something very closely resembling false pre tences ; he was nominated as the advocate of peace and reconciliation—a character which, as soon as his nomination was secure, he lost no time in p o i n t e dl y disowning. The party was divided, and, though it was too late to mend the error it could not be expected that those who suffered by it should be very earnest in the cause of a man into the support of whom they had been disingenuously trepanned. Under the influence of these concurrent causes Mr. Lincoln has, no doubt, been, as everybody foresaw he would be, elected President. The ques tion which concerns us now is not so much how he came to this second elevation as what in fluence that elevation is likely to have on our own relations with the United States. On this point we see no reason for alarm ; nay, it may pro bably be that we are safer in the hands of Mr. Lincoln than we should be in those of any one else. As regards foreign States, ourselves in par. titular, we may reasonably believe that he has sown his wild oats; he has gone through the course of defying and insulting England, which is the tra ditional way of obtaining the Irish vote, and we may not unreasonably hope that he is unlikely to repeat the experiment. Ever since he found himself firmly established in his office, and the first effervescence of national feeling had begun to subside, we have had no great reason to complain of the conduct of Mr Lincoln towards England. His tone has been less exacting, his language has been less offensive, and, due allowance being made fcr the immense diffi• culties of his situation, we could have parted with Mr Lincoln, had such been the pleasure of the American people, without any vestige of ill- will or illefeeling. He has done as regards this country what tie necessities of its situation demanded from him, and he has done no more. A new President might possibly feel called upon for a demonstration of more hostile spirit. It is an ordeal through which all American politicians must pass, and we may deem ourselves fortunate in having to deal with one who has passed through it already. Though, however, we have no reason as impar tial lookers-on to complain of the re-election of a Chief Magistrate with whom we have, at any rate, contrived during the last four years to keep up friendly relations, the case is very different with regard to the nation which has thus re-elected him for its chief. The case of the Democratic minority is soon stated. Even while the election was yet pending, while an arbitrary or unpopular act might lose much valuable support and embitter much luke warm opposition, they were denied the franchise which the Constitution gives them by the Generals of the President, and the denial was supported in words and in writing by the President himself. What fate have they to expect when the election is decided ? What right will be held sacred when this right of election, on which all others rest, is boldly and advisedly set at naught by the very candidate who is seeking for the suffrages which he violates ? Henceforth we may consider the Democratic party as expelled from the arena of practical politics, and destined to purchase either an ignominious impunity by inaction and submission, or to suffer all the miseries that tyrants can inflict or martyrs can en. dare. We can regard the reappointment of Mr Lin coln as little less than an abdication by the American people of the right of self-government, as an avowed step towards the foundation of a military despotism towards the subversion of a popular Government, which may still exist in form, but which in substance is gone. We would not be supposed to insinuate that it is the destiny of Mr Lincoln to be the real founder of the dynasty to which he has taken so long a step; whatever be his merits, his warmest admirers themselves can scarcely contend that he is made of Imperial stuff. His hand has shaken the tree, but we yet await the man who is to gather the fruit. Future historians will probably date from the second presidency of Mr Lincoln the period when the American Constitution was thoroughly abro. gated, and had entered on that transition stage, so well known to the students of history, through which republics pass on their way from democracy to tyranny. HERALD.—On the Bth inst. took place the voting for the Electoral Colleges by which the President is to be chosen in every state which still really or nominally, willingly or perforce, adheres to the Union. In New Orleans, and the few parishes in its neighbourhood which are occupied by Banks's army, a rabble of negroes, camp followers, and other scum of the earth, cast the votes of the great Creole State for the nominees of a man whom every Louisianian curses in his daily prayers. In the fortified posts which are all that remains to the Union of the backwoods State of Arkansas; in Pensacola, the Federal pied-a-terre in Florida; in those fragments of Tennessee which own the rule of Andy Johnson and groan under the vilest and most vulgar tyranny that ever afflicted any portion of God's creatures ; in unhappy Maryland, where three fifths of the population dare not show their faces at the polls for fear of military violence • in little Delas ware, equally crushed und e r th e h ee l of the despot whom his victims despise even more than they dread him • in divided, bloodstained, m iserabl e K en t uc k y ; in Missouri, which has so lately furnished men and supplies in liberal abundance to her patriot sol. dier and statesman, General Sterling Price—the same dishonest farce has been enacted. In none of these States has election a meaning or an exist ence; the power is in the hands of military tyrants (who have no more authority to interfere with elections in America than in iEngland, but who nevertheless surround every polling-place and enforce illegal oaths on every voter), and the man who cast his vote for M'Clellan has done so at the risk of liberty, property, and even of life itself. He is an outlaw to whom the ruling authorities will give no protection—whose house may be burnt by Federal soldiers, whose cattle may b 3 stolen by his Republican neighbours, whose letters will be opened in the post-office, whose family will be subject to menace and insult at the hands of Federal officers, end whose person may at any moment be carried off to undergo the discipline of labour with ball and chain in some military prison, or of solitary con finement in a fortress. No wrong done him will be punished —no right claimed by him will be granted. The military authorities would drive such a coin. plainaut from their doors—the civil power has ceased, for all practical purposes, to exercise any functions whatsoever. Under these circum stances the result of the election in those States so."" was ascertained before the contest began. In N e 4 vl England it is kn own th a t th e ma j or i ty are Reptio, lican, and approve the worst acts of tyre any e r which their candidate for re-election has b een guilty,: They are Puritans to th e b ac kb one; th e y have a!' the contempt for law, all the intolerance of opP o . 9 ''' Lion, all the love of minute, absolute, inquisitive: and vexatious tyranny that characterised the PI; grim Fathers and the Parliamentary Rebels, th e Scotch Covenanters, and the English Common' wealth. Mr Lincoln need not interfere with them , he was sure of their votes. With New York, Pert!" sylvania, and California he dared not meddle. Th e West was safer game. No general coercion conid be attempted ; but here and there disbanded. or discharged soldi ers cou ld b e enco uraged to attack a Democratic procession, t o over: throw a polling place, to burn books a" ballot boxes which s h owe d an a d verse ma jority' Therefore whatever the Democrats of the Nonh may have said; whatever hopes may have been held out to the supporters of M'Clellan, no one in tble country has for a moment doubted that the returns must show a large majority in the total of the State Colleges in favour of the re-election of Abrahani, Lincoln. This result i s one w hi c h certa i n ly c ould not have been been anticipated a year or two ago. It has been for thirty years a rule not to re-elect Presidents. It is quite true that none of those who, have filled the chair durin g th a t ti me h ave deserved reeelection ; they ha ve b een a ll secon d- rate or third rate men, and during their term of office they have not displayed such wisdom or talent as to induce the people to retain their services. But the worst of them was far better than Mr. Lincoln. A writer of deserved reputation, in the last number of the National Review, does, indeed, assert the contrary; but he offers no kind of argument in support of an opinion certainly contrary to that of the world at large, American and foreign. Mr, Lincoln did not owe his reappointment as Republican candidate 0 , any belief in his personal mer it, b u t t o acc id e ntal circumstances, which had made it evident that all other candidate would divide the party and ensure the success of the Democrats. He owes his re-elee' tion to the strength of his party and to his ow . 0 lawless abuse of executive po wer , no t t o t h e belle' of the people that no better man could hav e been chosen, or that he deserves the distinction of a second term of office. His predecessors aver! gentlemen; men of some experience either in mill, tary, diplomatic, or political life ; men at least 0 ! average intelligence and of unquestioned personal integrity; yet they were thought, and right)/ thought, not to have merited re-election. Mr. Liu: coin is a vulgar, brutal boor, wholly ignorant or political science, of military affairs, of everything else which a statesman should know. He has not connived at peculation, but he has allowed the public to be robbed to an indefinite extent by his Ministers, he has shielded them from punishmellrt continued them in office, and in the only case 1 0 which the scandal was too bad to be hushed tip at home he appointed the guilty party,tora firsteelag e embassy. His personal interference was the source of two of the great disasters of the war. His per' sonal timidity induced him to thwart the whole of M‘Clellan's plan of campaign on the Chicks' hominy, by retaining M'Dowell's corps in front of Washingt on . Hi s i ntr i gues ' for reelection were the cause of the expedition to Florida' which met with such signal and disastrou s defeat. What claim could such a man have to re' election ; or how can we avoid regarding his re-eleo' tion, all exceptional as it i s , an d carr i ed b y met h o ue so peculiarly flagitious, as a disgrace to the nation which permitted it ? The North will be fortunat e if she have not reason to repent her error before many months have passed over. M'Clellan migh t have done something to repair her shattere d fortunes. He understands thoroughly the organise: tion of armies and th e con d uc t o f campa i gns ; i f n ot a first-rate leader in the field, he would have been able to use to the best purp ose th e enormous re' sources of his country, and to direct her vast forces now employed in desult or y an d di sconnected ex r damns, resulting chiefly in plunder and ne gro° stealing to some practical end. Mr Lincoln will go on, in his own phrase, " pegging.away" at objEe ts already shown to be unattaicable, will waste ht' main strength on the impregnable defences of Rich' mond, and scatter the rest of his forces all over the frontiers of the South from Galveston to Norton(' and from Western Arkansas to Eastern Virginia; will accomplish nothing; and may not improbablY expose himself to some terrible blow from an energ whose inferior forces are directed by a profound statesman and led by first-rate generals. For O r own part we rejoice heartily in the defeat of Ge ° ' M'Clellan, as a prelude to the defeat of the North. We rejoice that the cause of oppression, robber.Y .. ' and injustice is en t rus t e d t o th e h an d s o f a lating, helpless imbecile, rather then to those of 0 1 3 able, resolute, and efficient soldier. Nor do we tbirl that the hopes of peace h ave b een seriously impaice" by Mr. Lincoln's success. Peace depends, not 011 the wishes of a man, but on th e di spos i t i on of the nation. So long as the North was resolute in th e prosecution of the war neither General M'Clella n nor even Mr. Vallandinghem could have ined! peace. So soon as the North shall be heartily ale: of the war, convinced that victory is impossible, an: eager for a compromise even on the basis of Souther; independence, peaco will ha ve b ecome necessar y ! Mr. Lincoln, and cculd not be l ong d e l aye d eve n , a Sumner or a Browalow. W e b e li eve t h a t no th i ng could tend more strongly to b r i ng a b ou t suc h e ste of things as will eff e ctu a lly di scourage t h e War . party, and dispose the North t o a b an d on i ts hop! . , less enterprise, than thecontinu ance o f M r Li n coln rule ; and in that belief wo hail his re-election ass ¢ event of excellent augury for the interests of the South and of mankind. COUNTRY MARKETS. COLCHESTER—Nov. 19. ' We had a fair supply of wh ea t on o ff er at our market to-day, and previous quot a ti ons were generally mainta i n ed' but the trade was slow. Fi ne b ar l ey not plentiful, w ith fair demand, and saleabl e a t f u ll y l ate prices:; other s orts , at is to 2s less m one y. B eans and peas in short supIPP at forme rates. ~ z6g Wheat, white 40 s 46 s Beans,Mazagan,.33s ;no red 36s 42s middle & small.3ss N o Barley Oats GLOUCESTER—Nov. 19. 0 1 There was an average su pply o f E ng li s h w h eat to -day our market, which sold slowly at late prices. Foreign W tol in limited demand. at about former rates. Barley 05 and beans very dull. NORTHAMPTON—Nov. il9. White wheat, new, 3Ss to 42s ; new red, 36s to old, 37s to 40s per qr. B ar l ey, new malting, 32s to 3 45- other sorts, 26s to 30 s . Old oats, 28 s to 345; new, iSs to 26s per 24 stone, Beans, 35s to 40e. Peas 36s to 4 " per qr. CHELMSFORD—Nov. 18. sil At this corn exchange t o -d a y th e supp l y o f w h ea t l eo plentiful, but we still have a d u ll trade, and last wee„h quotations were barely maintained. Sp r i ng corn met yip" a slow sale, and at no advance in prices. 3S° Wheat, old white 40s 45s , Peas, Partridge.... 36s „ As new 40s 41s White 305 4 ,0 old red.... 39s 40 s Boiling ... 38s ' 3 0 new 37s 40s Dun 318 _ . .4 Barley ..25s 32s Ditto new —s '- 31° Chevalier ..26s 33s , Beans, Tick, old ..348 ....4 Grinding ..20s 2Ss new..- 0 go Malt.... new..- 5 3 53 Chevalier 64s 68s Oats 20s 26s Mazagan ..,..,.335 KIRKCALDY GRAIN—Nov. 19. m ark We had large suppli es o f b ar l ey an d oats at our niar to-day, but small of wheat. Barley is and oats Gd per down, Wheat much the same as last week. Wheat. Barley. Oats. First....3ssiOd 22s Od lss 6d Second ..383 Od 238 6d 16s Gd Third ...Ms Od 265 - Od 17s Od COAL MARKET. Prices of Coal per Ton at the close of the market. s. d. /. Bower's West H ar tl ey. l9 6 Walls End. g. ~ 0 Cowpen Hartley 19 6 T unstall West Hartley 19 6 Ti aswell Hastings Ha r tl ey .... 1 9 6 E ast Hartlepool...... .. . 23 Ships at market, 27 ; sold, 26, Births. LEE.—On the 21 s t inst., a t Upperelapton, Mrs. %i e- Ore Lee, of a son. NEPEAN.—On the 19th inst., at 1, Princes-square park, the Dowa ger L a d y Nepean, wife of Dr. 16 1 ‘'' of a eon. 1, the PARRY.—On the 20th i ns t., a t U ptoa-park, Sloug h ) wife of Captain W. H. Parry, of a daughter. Marriages. u rfh EDWARDS—SHARPE.—On the 19th i ns t., a t S a int •rt' te r , Canonbury, Robert Edwards, Esq,, of CanonburE r vet race, to Rosa, fou r th d aug h ter of the late Robert Sharp of St. Paul's-terrace, Canonbury. r , tea! VANE - WALK ER . — O n th e 17 th inst., at HaParsearli Church, William H ammer t on Vane, third son 0 1 r t , r Vane, Esq., of St epney , to E mily, ascend datlP"' Wm. Walker, Esq., of Hackney. Deaths. 13 ARTREs.—On the 15th inst., at Auteuil, PariP, 310— Barthes, of 1, Savae-gardens, ondon. tro Dicx.—On the 19th g inst., Lieut. L -Colonel J. S. r • pio late Deputy Inspector of Volunteers, aged 36.`' 00 11' FRASER.—On the 15th i ns t., a t M cntague-p l ac e, $5 of square, sudden y, James William Fraser, B Savannah Le Mar, Jamaica, aged 61. r ' JUBB.—On the 14th i ns t., a t Cli ff, near Selby') Rich Jubb, Esq., aged 70. re, S ' MONVHOUSE.—On the 19th inst., at Thurloe aq ua- Monkhouae, Esq., aged 83, London : Print,ed and Pr Wished by WILLIA.3 I A N9 i.4o.i j n i of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at TUE SUN Oin ee rn atj "- Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in th e .‘v iildtilsillex,--T110444Y No 22 ,2884, 1_ TM