The Sun. — London, England, 1863-12-29 00:00:00

ONEY MARKET AND COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE. CITY, TWELVE o'CLoCK. A steady business is transacted in discount circles, but as first-class three months' paper is negotiated out of doors at 61 per cent., very few applications are made at the Bank of England. The return on Thursday is therefore expected to show a further diminution in the other securities, and also an in crease •f bullion, searcely a day now passing with out an iofiux of gold consequent upon a falling off 1n the demand for exportation. About £46,000 in gold was taken into the Bank yesterday. The application list of the Consolidated Discount Company will close to-morrow. Two O'CLOCK. At Paris this morning (according to Mr. Renter's telegram) the 3 per Cent. Rentea were 66f. 40c. Reavy. Although there has not been much activity to-day in the market for the English Funds, sales have preponderated, and a decline of 1 percent. has taken Place, Consols being 911 for money, and 91: 1 for the account. The New Threea and Reduced An nuities are now 911 ; and Exchequer Bills, 9s. 4 8. die. ; India 5 per Cents. are 1061 8 ; Enfaced 4 per Cents., 95 ; and the Bonds par to 6s. dis. In the Foreign Market there has been a pressure of sales of the principal speculative securities, and a consequent fall in prices. Turkish 6 per Cents., 1862, are 701 711 ; do. Consolides hsve declined to 471 ; Mexican, 37/ 1; Spanish Passive, 3358; Gl eek, 241 25 ; Portuguese, 49 1 ; and the Con federate Loan, 36 38. The operations in the Railway Share Market continue very limited, and are confined principally to transactions in connection with the settlement. A firmer tone however prevails. Caledonian and North Western have advanced ss. ; Great Western and Midland 10s.; South Eastern, los. and Lan• cashire and Yorkshire, £l. The Foreign and Colonial lines remain inactive at about former quotations. Bank and Miscellaneous shares continue in moderate request. Alliance of London• and Liver pool have improved to 44; Chartered of India, Australia, and China to 381 ; East London' are quoted 71; London and South African 261 1 ; Discount Corporation realise 61 4 ; General Credit, ; Mercantile Credit, 101; National Shipping Company, to 1 prem.; West India and Pacific, 1 to 11; Consolidated Discount, 11 to 2 prem. ; and Contract Corporation, 31 to 4 prem. BRITISH FUNDS—ONE O'CLOCK, Bank Stock ... 234 3 per Cent. Reduced Annuities 3 per Cent. Consols Annuiti es 9ll / New 3 per Cent. Annuities New 3i per Cent. Annuities 6 per Cent. Annuities, Jan. 1873 Annuities, 30 yrs, expire ith Jan., 1880 — Ditto for 30 yrs, expire sth April, 1885 — Ditto (Red Sea Telegraph), Aug. 1908 — India Stock, 1874 Ditto 5 pei Cent. 1870 Ditto 4 per Cent. 1838 ••• Ditto Enfaced Paper, 4 per Cent .. 95 Ditto 5 per Cent — Ditto 5/ per Cent Ditto ditto April, 1864 Ditto ditto Ang. 1864 or 66 )3ank Stock for Account Ditto Bonds £l,OOO par 6 die Ditto under £1,000.. Consols for Account, Jan. 7.. 9l/ India Stock for Account, 5 per Cent — Exchequer Bills, £l,OOO, 2a k 3 per Cent 9 4 die Ditto £SOO Ditto Small FOREIGN FUNDS—ONE O'CLOCK. Austrian Bonds, 5 per Cent .. Ditto 1859 Brazilian 5 per Cent Ditto, 1839 and 1859 Ditto 4f per Cent., 1852-58-60 Ditto 1863 Ditto Scrip, 1863, £3O paid .. dis Buenos Ayres 6 per Cent — Colombian 6 Scrip £l5 pd Cule a , 6 per Cent. — Uhihan 6 per Cent. Ditto 4f per Cent, — Danish 4 per Cent., 1863 Dutch, 2f per Cent., En. 12 Guilders - _ . Ditto, £lOO Bonds Equador New Consolidated. 1 per Cent — Ditto, Provisonal Land Warrant — Egyptian 7 per Cent lOOl i Ditto, Second Issue Greek 5 per Cent., 1824-5, ex-Coupons 26k Ditto Ditto Coupons ii Di tto Account i iu ot r i l s t lll Guatemala 5 per Cent. — Ditto Account — Mexican 3 Italian 6 p er C ent.(Maremmana R a il way) 781 8 I i per Cent I Witt() Account Moorish Imperial 6 per Cent New Granada Ditto 2 er Cent. — Ditto Deferred Ditto Land Warrants (Hectares) — Ditto 1 per Cent. (Deferred 3 per Cent.) Ditto 3 per Cent. - Peruvian per Cent. Ditto Account Ditto 41 per Cent~ 1862 Pi edraontese, 5 per Cent., Ex. 25f — Portuguese 3 per Cent., 1853 Ditto Account.. Ditto Account Ditto, 1863 ~ Ditto Scrip, Xl5 paid n ussian 5 per Cent., 1822, X St 921 Ditto 41 per Cent 1850.. . 88 Ditto 1860 .. Ditto Account — per Ditto 3 er Cent., 1859 .. . Ditto 5 p Cent. 1862 B9k .eichtt niau 5 per Cent ...... .. .. Dio t a S panish 3cp Account pauish 3 per Cent Ditto Account .. . Ditto New Deferred Ditto Account — Ditto Passive Ditto Account Spanish Cert. of Coup not funded l3} Ditto Account Twadiah, 4 per Cent. — urkish 6 per Cent. 1854 Ditto Account Ditto 6 Ditto Ac per Cent. 1858 count — Ditto 6 per Cent. 1862 Ditto Account Ditto 6 per Cent. 1863 — Ditto Guaranteed, 4 per Cent. Ditto Debentures, 4 per Ct., Oct., 1863 'Venezuela 3 per Cent. .oitto Account — Ditto 6 per Cent., 1862 Ditto Account Dividends on the above payable in London. Austrian, 5 per Cent.. Ex. 10 Florins. Belgian 4 per Cent., Ex. 25f. Dutch2i per Cent., Ex. 12 G u il 641 cc Ditt o Ditto 4 per Cent. Certificates A - Filnich li.ente un s,ii * per Cent., Ex. 25f — tlit to A Ditt ccount (186.3).£42 .. 3d. paid — Pm Italian ° , 8 6 e p ri er Cent., 1861, Ex. 25 francs 7 ok Consols, Money ' TWO O'CLOCX. Ditto Accoun,z 91. ........... • • • g Liverpool Cotton Market—This Day. Market strong at ito -,1 above Thursday. Sales about 6,000 bales. Imports, 5,069 ; previously,, 10,669. SHIPPING—This Day. LONDON, Dec. 29.--Wind this day at noon—South- Westerly ; moderate breeze, and cloudy weather, with 4 onae rain. PLYMOUTH, Dec. 29.--mm' N.—Arrived—True Briton, fl'oln London for Melbourne. FALMOUTH, Dec. 28.—Wind N.W.—Sailed—Neptune, for Cape de Verde. -- ail e d • -- Sailed—Claudine, tor S 'Valparaiso. wAaisEA, Dec. 2 8 . — Wind HOLYHEAD, Dec. 28.—Wind S.W.— Arrived—Flora, mer from the Clyde for Bermuda. 5ai1ed....... .. Janeiro. -c iter, for lit LL, Dec. 2S.—Wind N.W.--Arrived—Em ma w iNon fro m Monte Video—Meteor, from Miramichi—Croutfen: 4 ° 1 31 Quebec. CARDIFF, Dec. 28.—Wind S.W.—Arrived—Char a t en, fr om l3ilboa. LlvEuroo L , Dec. 28.—Wind S.W.—Sailed — Antonia, for Ravannah. f IC A-ItArouni, Dec. 28.--Wind S.W.—Arrived — Vanduse Irt , a r ' St. J o h n ' s, Newfoundland, f or Hull—Sarawang, from hi elda for Alexandria. (BY MAGNETIC TELEGRAPH.) Ard GRAVESEND, Tuesday Morning. A , Ve( ., Dec. 2S—Caledonia, from Hamburg. fr o ,! r n 'ved, Dec. 29 Frmny,f rom St. Michael's—Catharine, L'arra gona _ Ottoman, from Almeira—Onward, from Aga nerd Castle, from Guernsey. 4---1- Ihine. steamer, for Boulogne—Jutland, screw eleaiuer, for KtmigsburgThree Sisters, from John's. DEAL, Tuesday Morning. No arrivals. rat sborne sty. l from it this ,?,nt out 0 lion. e Roe, ,court rance'S 3runs- ie St. ft the Paris. re left NeV spe' reboil of eon [yen at of the rays is ereforo under to pro ghwaY ,ported ed that in the .xcesd" ,ussion on and L Kent, one. It by the 3everld .veling o f 100 uicidal ly two han 50 holder, a nd ed ill ,rioUS , , more r a re which ;Jou of )ieroaa ;a her issued I made taken 1 to be either• a aild iiEtory r reign t corn' vne,- - • rvßlt - un ate Noway . mas ter hat on fownd hordes ns the ey to 1, and Lair he , a ,,, s ed r evive at V2ll' leatO 5, w o tilo9 sp vte, ie Fill _ is osl orsti m orovt id o° ll° U 5 ° ‘ 113 Go of fluos 3ab by I s is or I pale, w ere; dread less of it th e ead in c ruise larch-, ,I2Y• ur ; ill Isol Ice° 6‘ - _ ro te , Prue . 1,7° re for —On el of 1, and SHARE MARKETS.--This day, ORDINARY SHARES AND 5T0011.9. 1 I Closing Businesr Share! Railways. Paid.i Price. done. I `Vol.,Bir., and Str. Val. Blythe and Tyne. Bost.,Sleat.,andblid.Co Bristol and Exeter Caledonian Cork and Bandon Corn wall Do A nets no div till 6p c.p an has Do. B been paid to B. Dublin & Belfast June. Dun.,Perth,&Ab. June. Edinburgh & Glasgow. Glasg. and S. Western., Great Eastern, Ord. stk 8 8} 8 8i 82 84 121 122 61 71 37 39 16 17 96 98 107 109 49 0 45 47 7; 8i 127 128 131 132 134 136 97 99 64} 611 1114 1111 72 74 1074 1081 43 44 107; 1071 101 102 50 51 11114 1121 1291 1301 lb 0 LA 521 831 25 46 1021 103 68i 59i 89 93 119 121 1 2 pl 78 78 11 11} 122 126 42 44 98 100 61 62 32 33 Of 86} 97 S 9 94 10i a 8 38, 9 10 r, 7} 7 1 P I 158 160 5 5i t. 21 3} p Ditto A stock . Ditto East Anglian st GreatNorthot Scotland Great Northern Do A stock Do B do Gt. S. and W. of Ireland Great Western Do Str Val gua. stock Lancashire t Yorkshire London and Blackwall Lon., Bright.,& S. Coast, Lon., Chat., aad Dover Lon. & Noe h Western Lon. & So%th Western Man., Shef., d: Lincoln. Maryport and Carlisle. Dot shares... Metropolitan Midland Do New Do Binning. & Derby Mid. Gt. W. of Ireland Do. shares Mid Kent Do Cray Line North British Edln., Perth, & Dundee Nth. Eastern—Berwick Do, G.N.E. purchase Do Lecds Do York Do Carlisle orth London Do New ..." North Staffordshire N. and S. W. Junction Scottish Central Scot. N. E., Aber. stock - Do Soot Mid. stock Shrews. and Welohpooi Shropshire Union South Devon South Eastern South Wales S. York. and River Dun Staines, Wok., and Wok. Stockton .1; Darlington Do Do New, 1885 Taff Vale.. Do B Do C Ulster Do Do Vale of Neath Victoria sta. and Pim Waterford A; Kilkeuny West Cornwall W. Hartlepool Har.&R West Midland —Oxiord Do Newport Do Hereford 83 86 170 175 12.10 BRITISH POSSESSIONS. I - Closing , Shan 100 Atlantic &St Lawrence all 60 --- t2 60 Sk Bom.,Barodatt.Centlno ... Gu. 5 per cent... ut... 1065 104 20 Do. New ....... 8 1 p 20 Do. E. Shares 405 Buffalo and Lake Huron all 6 65 10 Do. Preference .... all 85 95 Bufralo,Brant,&Godrici t 00 10 , 1 6 p. et. bds. Aug. 1, 1872 tOO Do. do. July 1, 1871 100 100 110. do. Juue 1, 1871 100 st Clcutta.&S.Eastn. (Li 0.; 100 104 106 at Cape Town & Dock Seri' 100 101 103 eoL Eastn. Bengal go. sp. c 100 108 109 stook East Indian, gu.sp. c. 100 107 118 20 Do. do. G Ext l5 4 15p 20 Do. do. H do. stook Grand Trunk of Canada tuu 20 21 204 100 Do. Ist Pref. Bonds all 73 25 100 Do. Co. deferred all 50 51 100 Do. 2d Feet. Bonds.. all 65 67 100 Do. do. deferred...... all 50 63 100 Do. 3d Pref. stock 100 Do. do. deferred... ... all 38 42 100 Do. 4th Pref. stoc... all 27 29 100 Do. do. deferred...... all 22 24 stook GtlnchaPentn.gua.sp.o. 100 1084 1095 1081 20 Do. New gua. sp. 0... 12 15 lit 20 Do. January, 1862 .. 8 15 15s , stook Gt. South.of India (Lim guaranteed 5 per cent. 100 1054 1065 204 Gt. W. of Canada Shares all 10 105 205 Do. New 100 Do. 6 p.c. '73 with't op t, all 92 95 100 Do. 54 p. o. do. '77-8.. all 86 88 10 Indian Branch Limited 2 f stock Madras guar., sp.c. .. 100 106 107 stock Do. 44 p. o. Extension 100 100 101 stock Do. 44 d 0........ 100 96 100 20 Do. Fifth Extension. 2 stock Melb.Corp. 6p. o. Buds. 100 50 Melb. & Hobson's Bay. all 57 59 100 Do. 7p. a !Bong. Bds. alt $0 NewßruttswlokatCands Class A and B. N. itl.C'da spo ist f bds 100 82 84 stock &hide (100 106 107 stock Do. Delhi lOO 116 107 30 Do. do ... rd. Ei 2 ffp at Do. Punjaub c S all 1054 1065 Do. Do. ........ 11'00k Do. Indus. St. Flo.) 000 101 103 COLONIAL GOVERNMENT SECIJRITIEb. t,an.tiov. 6 p.C.J a &.111) 1877-81 ......... 100 165 106 1065 51 Do. 6p. c. Feb. & Aug 100 103 105 Do. si p. o. Mar. & Sept. 100 113 115 Do. p. o. Jan.&July. 100 03 84 935 Do. 5 Inscribed stock 100 91 93 Cape G.Hope, 6p 0,1873 100 106 108 Do.Ap & Oct 18801 100 109 111 Do. 1891 100 109 111 - IDo. Jan. A July, 1891.. 100 112 114 :Ceylon, N0v.1878, 6p c 100 110 112 ;Mauritius 6 per cent .. 100 106 108 :Natal Gov. 6 per cent.. 100 1(8 110 N.B.Gov. 6 p.o.J a.&J uly 100 104 106 Do. 6p. o.Ap. A Oct. 100 N. S.W. G ov. 5 p 3.,186s 100 100 102 Do. sp. c.,18e1 to I:C2f 100 101 102 Do. d0.,1888 & upwds leo 1015 1025 1025 2 New Zealand 6 p cent. 100 110 112 Nova Scotia Gov. 6p. c. sterling, 1876. lOO 105 107 Queensland Gov. 6p. o. 100 1:1 113 S. Aus G6p.c.1878.& up.. 100 111 113 Vio.Gov. 6 p.c. Ja.&July 100 107 109 Do. lo 6 p.a. AnAcOot.. 100 1094 1105 1 1091 10 911 BRITISH MINES. 2 Cambrian Consol. Gold 1 f Id f ulltlord Amalgamated.. 34 215 Devon G. Con.. (Tavist) 1 560 670 East Bassett (Illogan).. 30 61 60 1 East Clogau Gold Ltd. 53. 5d par East Caradon ..... 1.14.6 27 28 East Carn Brea.... E. WI Busse (Tavistk ) 8,9.0 555 Gam.&StAubyn(Gwen ) 585 8 10 Great South Tolgus l7B 4 45 G. Wheal Vor(ldelston, 40 12 13 Grenville . .. 6.16. t 4 45 Elerc..d's-Foot ...... 8.12 87 39 El in gston D0wn5...... 4.18.0 24 3= Lady Bertha Margaret ( Uny Lelant 91 14 16 M ante Valley.. 4 Myndy Iron Oro (Lim ) 25 15 1 d New Seton 195 90 100 —• North Downs 2l 15 11 N.Wh'l Basset (1110 ;an 3.1.0 2, 3 North Wheal Crotty ~ 2.6.9 4/ 55 Par Coneols (St. Blaze), ) 20 Providenc,e(Uny Lelnt.) 10.6.7 42 44 South Caradon(StCleer; 14 415 125 8. Cam Brea (Illogan) — S.Wheal Fran. (Illogan) 18.18.9' 60 65 Stray Park '30.17.6 28 30 6 ramarSilv.& Lead Min 44 4 II G in Croft 9 18 19 West Basset (Illogan) l4 94 105 W C' radon (Liskeard) 5 18 20 West Sotto Wheal Basset (Illogan) 5 4 85 90 Wheal Buller(ltedruth) 8 224 275 Wheal Kitty (1.7.1,c1ant) 2.0.6 WhealLudcott ..... 3.0.8 1 14 Wheal Mary Ann !Men.) 8 114 12 Wheal I.leton 5135 150 160 Wheal Tretawney (Lis ) 7 21 22 Wheal Union 3.17 1 21 21 RES. PREFERENCE S Great Western Orig. 44 per cent. pf., 104 100 Stockton and Darlington, B 6 per cent., 33 Scottish North Eastern 31i per cent. pref. stock. 23 LINES LEASED Al' FIXED RENTALS. Chester andtllolyhead, 576 London, Tilbury, and Southend, 101} Northern and Eastern, 5 per cent., Ma FOREIGN RAILWAYS. Great Luxembourz, 12 Ban Paulo (lim.), urua. 7 per cent., Ditto (all), 21; South Austrian and F L O om it b E a l r G d isi o V m en o etl E. an s ;_ 20i Cape Cop Um. 61 U nited Meperxican (11m;, JOINT-STOCK BANS. Alli ance Bank of Lon and Llyerpool K (Um), -- Ditto, new, 2le Anglo Austrian 7 Gi Imperial Lo nd Ba (11m.), 2n Imperial O t to man, 18 on Joint Stock, 37i London and South African, 26 London and 'Westmlnate 80i Merchant Bank, lira., I.' National of Liverpool. limited, 20 Scinde, Puniaub, and Delhi Wm.', 71 DOCKS. St. Katharine, 701 MI SCELLANEOUS. British Indian Tea. lira., n 3 Ceylon Company, 91 Discount Corporatiou, limited, 64 Egyptian Couiruercial and Trading, Sin., 31 G en . crc dit and Finance of Lonaon, Hudson's Bay, 124 lira,, 6g International Financial Society, lira.79f m Joint-stock Discount, Ditto, new, 61 mercantile Credit Association, lira., 101 The Price of Gold: London is 25.30 per .£1 sterling. On the short exchange on Lon the English Mint price of .£3 about 2-1 ti cciniParing these rates with ld it appe4r that gold is The quotation of gold at Paris is about 3 per mine pin., and 178 . N& per ounce for standard go , is and the shortßeerxceehltn, By advices fr omllamburg the price of gold £1 sterling. is 13.5 perper mark is, therefore, about Standard gold at the English Mirt price 1-10th per cent, dearer in London than in Hamburg. ond o n tha i n s i l n 2l P i ar p g d e ca o r n e rin London il The course of exchange at New York on London for bills at 60 days' sight is 163 to 164 per cent., and the premium on gold is 494 to 491 p er cent. At thes rates there is a profit on the importation of gold from the United States. ......—„...„7„—.............___ STATISTICS OF THE LANCASHIRE DISTRESS.— In November, 1862, 448,955 persons were in the cotton district receiving relief. This year in the same month the number was only 170,850. It is still equal to two great armies, but the reduction is 75 per cent, POLICE INTELLIGENCE—This Day. BOW-STREET. Two men, named Huret and Sullivan, were placed at the bar charged with assaulting a cabman named Howitt, and police:constable F 118. The complainant said that on the night in question, as he was returning home with his horse and cab, he met the two prisoners and another man not is custody, who stopped him and desired him to drive to Pall Mall. He told them he had done work for the night, and that he was going to his stables. Sullivan and the man not present opening the cab door, got in, and Hurst jumped on the box. He refused to drive on, when Hurst commenced knocking him about, and after receiving some severe blows he called for tho police, when he (constable 118 F) came up, and an attempt was made to eject the parties from the cab. Hurst mode a desperate resistance, struck out right and left, and finally closed with the constable, and both went on the ground. Ho (witness) had been confined to his bed for two days from the injuries he received, Police constable 118 F sail he heard a disturbance in Eudell street, and on proceeding in that direction ho came up with the complainant's cab and found the three men in possession of the complainant's cab. He seized hold o Hurst and struggled with him for some time, when he bit him severely on the hand and knee, He had received so muoh injury that he had been on the sick list ever since. Sutlivan was too drunk to take part in the fight. Tho other man got up and ran away. Mr. Corrie asked Hurst what he had to say to the charge. Hurst replied that he was too drunk to know what he was doing. He did not recollect biting the constable. Sullivan said he did not recollect anything about the matter. Mr. Corrie thought he ought to sand the case to the sessions, as far as Hurst was concerned. It was a very savage assault. Hurst begged hard to have the case summarily disposed of, and after some consideration, Mr. Corrie sentenced Hurst to two months' imprison ment, and discharged Sullivan. A cabowner, named Richardson, appeared to a summons charging him with cruelty to a cab horse. Rutherford said he saw the driver beating the animal violently in Great Queen-street, and on looking at the horse he found it quite incapable of drawing the cab, through old age and disease. Mr. Cherr, veterinary surgeon to the police, said he bad examined the horse, and found it very aged. It had been diseased long, and was altogether unfit to drag a cab, or go, under any circumstances, six miles an hour. The defendant said he must admit it was "touched in the wind," but that was all. Mr. Cherry told the magistrate that tha result of gallop ing the animal would be to produce an effect similar to that which would be experienced by a man with a severe asthma after he had been compellei to run a race. Mr. Corrie said he should like to have the horse killed. Tne defendant said he would much rather give it away to some poor person, as there was some work in it yet. Ultimately it was arranged that the horse should only do light work in the defendant's yard, and the summons was dismissed. THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 29, 1863. Charing-cross Railway-bridge. During the last few days a series of interesting tests have been made by Captain Tyler, ILE., on the strength of this great viaduct, previous to the sanction of tha Board of Trade being given to the opening of the line for public traffic on the Ist of the new year. As the works are now quite finished, the Thames bridge, the largest and most interesting feature of the line, begins to show itself to great advantage—its magnificent size and width rendering it an imposing 9bject from the river, while the open trellis-work of the superstructure, and the ample waterways the use of cylinder piers afford, give it an ap pearance of greater lightness than is usual with bridges of the purely girder form. Looking at it only from the river, it is certainly to be regretted that the brick piers formerly carrying the suspen sion bridge have been allowed to remain. But here, as in most great undertakings, compromises between appear ances and economy have taken place, and in this instance economy was greatly on the side of retaining the brick piers. Yet, while retaining these below, we do not at all se4 the advantage of the mass of brick and stonework, where with they are overtopped above. Mr. Hawkshaw, whose design the bridge is, would have done better had he trusted to the purely mechanical and prac tical nature of the structure, relieved only by the colour in which it is now being painted, which, with the lines of gilt bosses and handsome candelabra surmount ing the piers, appear far more suitable decorations than heavy circular cornices for a bridge dependent for its effect on its good and simple construction, and not on any recog raised architectural features. But it is as an engineering work chiefly that the bridge is best worth notice, and presents some very curious features, one of these being the enormous strength concentrated both in the cylinder piers and in the girders in the smallest com pass. To understand this it is necessary to call to mind that in the usual practice of building brick or stone founda tions the weight of the superstructure is spread over a very large surface, whereas with these cylinder piers it is all brought within two areas of not more than 141 t diem. each. To make up for this difference in extent, the depth to which the cylinder foundations are carried is far greater than the brick piers—for while the latter are made to rest on the top of the clay, the cylinders go 201 t. into the clay, being sunk on an average 40ft. below low water, thus obtaining for the column of brickwork built inside them afterwards a founda tion as solid as rock itself, and one not likely to be disturbed by any changes which may occur in the bed of the river by the scour, which may be expected from the formation of the Thames Embankment, the scour being a source of evil which has hitherto proved fatal to the foundations of nearly all our metropolitan bridges. Again, with the superstruc ture, it is usual to have one main girder to half a line of way, or at lust one girder to each line, and to brace them together overhead as well as below, to form of the whole a kind of skeleton tube. But in this case it was necessary that there should not be any obstruction between the lines of way, as points and crossings are required on very many parts of the bridge; therefore only two girders could be used to do what eight, or at least four, have hitherto been em ployed to effect. Two girders here carry four lines of way, and as this causes them to be 50ft. apart, overhead bracing becomes also impracticable, so that they had to be con structed of sufficient lateral stiffness to depend on themselves alone, and of sufficient strength to carry the public foot paths outside, as well as the four lines of way within ; hence it happens that although the span is moderate, 154 feet, yet the quantity of metal required in each of these girders amounts to 200 tons, and the skilful way it has been massed together to afford the requisite strength, and yet give little indication of it in its light and almost elegant• appearance, is certainly unsurpassed, The result of the tests applied has proved most satisfac tory. When loaded from end to end on each of the four lines of way with engines and trucks purposely filled with stone and iron, so as to weigh four tons per foot, the greatest amount of deflection in any girder was not more than three quarters of an inch, and in the cross-girders less than a quarter of an inch, and the amount of vibration during the running off and on was all but imperceptible. To this satisfactory result the quality of the workman ship has tended in a large degree, the contractors, Messrs. Cochrane and Co., for this and all the other badges on the line, having aided Mr. Hawkshaw materially in this design of using two girders only to support such enormous strains by at once abandoning the roue' and unskilful way of con structing girders with plates punched and sheared by hand, and substituting in its stead machinery designed for the purpose of drilling and planning the plates in the most accurate manner. It is not too much to state that the ac curate and finished character of the work in this bridge has since caused almost a revolution in the construction of wrought iron beams of magnitude. Great praise is also due to the contractors for the skilful manner in which the actual work of erecting the bridge has been carried out, and not a single fatal accident having oc • curred during its progress. All the other bridges on the line have been tested by the Government inspector with similar severity and with the same satisfactory results as to proof of strength. All the questions, in fact, connected with the working of the line have been settled, and we be lieve it will open for public traffic on New Year's-day. THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE VEUVE CLIQUOT, as described in Shaw's " Wine, the Vine, and the Cellar."—A few miles on the Paris side of Epernay may be seen a chateau, above fix. doorway of which is carved 6 , Mater Fibre," the mater being a lady of ;;;id-w — tdeTe;;, exceedingly rich, but still living in a small house at Reims, as she did many a year ago; and although above 80 years old, it is said there is not a cuve'e made without her opinion, nor a transaction of importance without consulting her. Others may have, and have, quite as good wine as hers ; for they have the same opportunities which she enjoys of buying grapes or wine from growers ; while the preparation if her liqueur is no mystery, and the fermentation roust everywhere go on in its natural course. The desire of her house is not to make its wine better one year than another, but to keep it as close as possible to its known standard pecu liarity year after year. if all seasons were alike, this would be comparatively easy, but some are so bad that not a single grape will be admitted into cellars of repute ; and as two, three, and more such years often succeed each other, her and every other house are compelled to keep up stock in the best way they can. The only plan of accomplishing this is by searching throughout the district for the best wine that can be found in the cellars of growers or merchants, and preparing them for their brand. Large firms such as hers, and a few more, will make several cuveee of 53,000 and 100,000 dozens, after a good vintage. Shortly after that of 1861, I saw in her cellar casks that reminded me of the quays of the London Docks ; and as these had to be pre pared, with much liqueur, for the shipments to Russia, &c., and less for the portion for England, it may be imagined what a serious undertaking it is, and how much experience and discrimination are required, to amalgamate these vari ous qualities into a homogeneous whole. But it is just to add that, in stating that she has no monopoly of the best grapes, nor of the knowledge of fermenting or converting them into wine, hers is the only house where no other kind but the best procurable quality is kept ; and therefore, any one buying a bottle with her true brand on the cork, may feel confident that it is the finest she can offer. She presses her grapes less than other growers, disposing of the sur plus ; while most houses retain theirs for further pressure, and then sell according to the result; probably branding with their own known brand that which proves good, and with a " fancy " brand that which is inferior. THE MISSING SHIPS. —Five weeks have now elapsed, and there has been no intelligence of the missing laden colliers which sailed from the Tyne and ad jacent north country ports in the last week in November for London, and it is reduced to a certainty, it is feared, that they have perished with their crews. The names of the Tyne vessels that have, it is almost certain, foundered are the Esther, the Brodricks, and the Lady Mary, of North Shields; and the Ann and Elizabeth, the Spray, and the James, of South Shields. Another vessel, named the Adorna, which left the Texel before the gale of the 3d Dec, for the Tyne, has not since been heard of. If the Aborna does not turn up, very close upon 60 seamen will have perished with those ships. As far as can be ascertained, either eight or nine laden colliers belonging to adjacent ports have been missing the same time as the Tyne ships, eo that at the lowest computation it is feared 120 north corm try seamen and sailor lads have perished by their vessels foundering at sea with them. This sad c a l am i ty i s b e i ng r ealised in all its bitterness by the bereaved f am ili es i n th e northern seaports, for, down .to about Christmas, they had hoped against hope that those ships had been driven towards the Dutch or Norway coast, and might Ulm up again. Among the vessels included in the number mentioned above are the Gehe and the Cletelendl belonging to Whitby. That the George, belonging to that port, atter being abandoned, h e seaport been e r has e t np sufferedpicked upa n severely taken by l the ntou g ot a t l e e : A vessel named burg, As already reported, several crews of water-logged and disabled ships suffered fearfully by exposure during the terriflo gales of the first week in December. The George is reported to have lost four of her crew, including the mate and his son, by exhaustion, before a frienaly ship came to their assist ance. It would appear that most of the vessels missing. and of which there is little doubt nothing more will be heard, had put into the Humber through adverse winds, and that on Wednesday, the 2d of December, the wind having got round to the N.W., blowitig fresh, they had put oat of that roadstead with every prottiett of a quick passage to London. But during that night dr Thursday morning the wind chopped round to the ti.W. again, and came on to blow a hurricane. It will be remem- • hered that the force of Thursday's gale was most severe in the midland counties, and it would catch these ships in Boston D e eps, the very- worst place for laden colliers to en ceunter such a storm, and there is every reason to believe that most of the vessels missing perished there or on the edge of the Dogger Bank, It is to be feared many of the families of the men that are supposed to be lost aro in a destitute condition, some of the widows being left with large families. BRlTisll MUSEMC—The national collections will be closed to the public from Friday, the Ist, until Thurs day, the 7th of January, 1861, inclusive, to afford the at teniants their usual Christmas holidays. Hornim an ' s Tea is choice and strong, moderate in price, and wholesome to use. These advantages have secured for this Tea a general prefrrenca, It is sold in packets by 2,280 Agents, The Late Earl of Charlemont. The Freeman contains the following interesting reminiscences of the above noble earl, whose death we announced yesterday : . . . Another link connecting us with the past has been broken. The venerable Earl of Charlemont, who inherited the name as well as the virtues of his great father, died on Saturday, at the advanced age of 90. Francis, the second earl, was born Jan. 6, 1774, so that on Jan. 4th next he would have completed hie 90th year. Born at a time of great political fermentation, and when Irish society reflected more beauty, brilliancy, and wit than any society in Europe, he loved to detail the events which made an impression on his boyhood. Gifted with a retentive memory, he recalled ecenes and characters which at the present day appear to be cast back into the dim traditions of history, 'When only In his fifth year he well remembered tho rising of the Irish Volunteers. Like the Prince Imperial, who is now the hope of France, the Irish nation regarded the eldest son of the Earl of Charlemont. Some of our readers may have aeon an old engraving of a review of • the volunteers in College-green, commanded by the Duke of Leinster and the Earl of Charlemont. The young viscount was present, riding at his father's side. He r, collected distinctly all the illustrous names of Irish history from 'B2. At there-unions which took place at Leinster House and Charlemont House, at that period the centres of all the intellect, beauty, an d fashion of the metropolis, his lordship mixed with the cha racters of that memorable epoch. With Grattan he was of course perfectly familiar. Flood he less distinctly remembered, but he still retained sufficient to give us a more perfect idea of that remarkable man than history has transmitted to us. His lordship was accustomed to say that his father ad mired Flood more than any of the men of that day, so fertile in great statesmen and orators. That the Earl of Charlemont and Henry Flood entertained a mutual respect for each other appears from the published correspondence, which exhibits the highly cultivated tastes and refined in tellectual intercourse that subsisted between those eminent men. He told anecdotes of Grattan, Avonmore, Bowes Daly, Forbes, Gardiner, together with a long catalogue of other celebrities, when his memory was more active than it had been in the decline of his life. He also had a distinct though less clear, recollection of other figures who played no unimportant part in the literary and political history of England. He remembered when a boy having been introduced by his father at several meetings of the famous Literary Club. Burke he knew and remembered well. A short time before his death the earl and his son visited him at Beaconsfield, and he remem bered well one of the first questions Burke asked his father was what he thought about the progTess of events in France. The education of Viscount Caulfield was conducted under the immediate eye of his accomplished father, until, in his 16th or 17th year, he entered college, where he dis tinguished himself in classics. On the dissolution of Parliament in '97 he was elected for the county of Ar magh, and, we need not say, voted heart and soul against the union. His venerable father did not live to see the measure carried, having died in 1799, when his son suc ceeded to the title and estates. Lord Charlemont, not without some reluctance, took his seat in the English House of Lords, to which, however, he was soon recon ciled. Thoroughly liberal, loving Ireland and her people, whenever he spoke in the upper house he advo cated the religious and civil rights of his country. He was a good speaker, and always impressed by his clear, good sense. In the struggle between the Irish Liberals and Tories, before and after emancipation, he was always at the service of the Liberal party. He took an active part in the Moore testimonial, which was one of the last of his public acts. He gave up Charlemont House to the committee, and at the public meeting over which he presided he spoke with feeling and grace of the national poet with whom ho was long and intimately acquainted. His last appearance in public was at the opening of the Irish Exhibition of 1853, when he appeared as the senior of the Knights of St. Patrick, his father having been one of the first creations of the order. He was a man of great and varied acquire ments. Modest and unobtrusive, he never developed the eminent qualities which distinguished him, except in the circle of his private friends, whose hearts he won by the gentleness of his manner and the brilliancy of his con versation, which, it was said, much resembled his father's. In one respect he differed widely from his father. Equally national, he was more liberal. His father's opposition to emancipation he never approved, while he illustrated, in his while life, the highest respect for the religious and civil liberties of his Catholic coutarymen. Though he liked England well, as he was accustomed to say, h e l ove d Ireland better,' and proved it by an almost unvarying residence for over sixty years. He said he drew his income from Ireland, and it should be spent in Ireland. Whenever he visited England, for Parliamantary or other purposes, where he was received wit h open arms by the chiefs of the Whig party, he always longed to be back at Marino, or the family seat in Tyrone. Marino, h owever , was his favourite. There he exclusively resided for the last seven years, and there he died. Some three or four years ago the venerable nobleman might be seen moving backwards and forwards to Dublin in his Whig un i form _ a bright blue coat, with a splendid high collar garnished with velvet, and the buff waistcoat. We need not say when recognised all classes treated him with the pro fondest respect. Agriculture was one of his favourite pur suits, and he perfectly understood its principles and prac lice. His lordship married Miss Birmingham, daughter of the direct descendant of the lords of Athenry. Il e had one .m.)n, who 31.1 hi hla wiuurny. ale is ru.j t, lll the tin e and estates by his nephew, the Hon. Colonel Caulfeild, lord lieutenant of Armagh. His remains will bo buried on Thursday next in Armagh cathedral, where his father W as buried. The Irish people will regret the death of a good Irishman in Francis, second Earl of Charlement, '• Son of the man Who led the van Of the Irish Volunteers,'" EXETER HALL.—HAYDN'S ORATORIO. The " Creation," which was announced to commence at half past seven,will begin at eight instead. The principal singers engaged are Madame Pazepa, Mr. Sims Reeves, and Mr. Bentley. The band and chorus 700. Conductor, Mr. a. W. Martin. SMUGGLING BY MEANS OF CRINOLINE.---Two German women who were going out in the New York steamer from Southampton on Wednesday were de tected in endeavouring to smuggle 22Ibs. of cigars into that town from the steamer which lay in the dock, and which had just come from Bremen. The cigars were in the ordi nary boxes, each containing 11b. weight. Eacb of the women had 11 boxes strung round her person inside her dress, and fastened to her crinoline. Although the women walked very carefully, the boxes rattled one against the other, and a custom-house officer, hearing a strange noise as the women passed him, suspected that it had a contraband origin. The women had got outside the dock gate before they were de tected. MISTAKEN FOR AN AMBASSADOR,—A corres pondent, writing from Paris, says :—" I hope it may never fall to the lot of any of your readers to be mistaken for an ambassador, as happened to a friend of mine yesterday. He arrived at an hotel which, to injure no vested interests, I will call L'Hotel Enorme, and, being half asleep, asked for a bedroom. It was six a,m., and he went to bed and to sleep. When he awoke he found himself lying in state in a crimson satin bed, the room lighted up by many bougies, and quite a vista of looking-glass reflected and re-reflected his astonished face. He rose ; and found baths prepared in a dressing room, fitted up lise a lady's boudoir, and, finally, breakfast arranged on a small table in the midst of a vast saloon, bright with mirrors and splendid with gold and crimson. Alarmed, he rang the bell, Waiter, where am I?" Hotel Enorme, votre excellence au pre mier.' And the price ?' asked my friend. Oh, a baga telle, as son excellence will see by the tariffe.' He looked and found it was 200 francs. ' Why put me here ?" I thought monsieur was an ambassador. We always put them au premier.' Ambassador I why ?" Because mon deur wore a black coat.' " FRIGHTFUL DEATH AT THE PLYMOUTH RAIL WAY STATION.—A shocking accident occurred at about four o'clock on Saturday afternoon at the Plymouth goods station of the South Devon Railway, by which a driver in the employ of Messrs. Pickford and Co., carriers, was crushed to death. The deceaeed (William Wakeham), with two other men, also in the employ of Messrs. Pickford, were employed in loading a track with ten tierces of sugar, which they had brought from the British and Irish Sugar Refinery. The tierces were brought on two trollies— five teirces on each—stowed the lengthways of the trollies. The railway truck was standing in the outward I goods station, and the trolly Wakeham was driving had been unladen. The other trolly was standing just inside the gate separating the outward from the inward goods station. The deceased was driving out his trolly to make room for the other to come alongside the truck, and as he passed, the fore part of his trolly came in contact with the end of one of the hindermost tierces. His horses immediately on this feeling the collision, sprang forward, and in so doing knocked Wakeham down. Deceased fell on his back, and two of the iron bars at the end of the laden trolly having been taken out in preparation for unloading, that was struck, weighing about 11 cwt., turned rou n d. the fierce and rolled off, falling a height of about three feet six part of inches. It fell on the deceased's chest and rolled over his head, causing instant death, the whole of th.eruusppe.r. The the poor fellow's body being frightfu lly aGyounilegd widow, deceaeed:was 32 years of age, but ho children. and lea ves ewer DISCOVERY OF RELICS.— NEWOTEAD ABBEY. — Theo h avej net been digco b No vered soy interesting ttsm (theeat of the lat e relics near to Nowstead Abenyd, by l a bourers employed i n Lord Byron). Ti. :v were found kw° the p ark. The relics con . re presenting warrior u o i f th th u o t making a new carr ia g e silt of a portion of a stain.%d i , t the ch a in mail time of Henry 111., aS exhibi period ;an ancient freesttrne probably part of an a mbulatury ; a great quantity of winnow tracing of the 14th century, and some small jamb shafts of the 13th century. A portion of the specimens have bees preserved. PUNISHED FOR LIVING TOO LONG.—A pauper in the Uckfield Union, named Wm. Novies, aged 82, was charged before themagistrates with refusing to work. thr The po or old man, who ha d lived 12 years beyond the ee score years and ten allotted to man,said he w ng ba d t o work, but their worships thought diners tent ed him to 21 da y s' hard labour.—.Brigon .Excititi or. 13.14.1 (9.16.41 1111 1071 8 134 1031 MARLBOROUGH-STREET. COMMITTAL WITHOUT A FINE FOR A RUFFIANLY ASSAULT.—James Murphy, a carman, was charged before Mr. Tyrwhitt with violently assaulting Mr. John Bazley, of 4, James-street, Oxford•street, a refreshment-house keeper. The complainant seed that while loading a van in Den man-street, St. James's—having let his refreshment house —the prisoner came up and annoyed him, saying that he was engaged by the incoming tenant to move the goods. He told the prisoner that his servicees were not wanted, and that he had better leave. The prisoner refused to do eo, and while he (complainant) was picking up an article to place in the van, prisoner came behind him and gave him a violent blow on the nose, deluging him with blood, and then ran away, but was pursued by the men in charge of the van and given into custody. .. - In answer to Mr. Tyrwhitt, The complainant said the prisoner was neither engaged by him or the incoming tenant. Prisoner made a rambling defence, to the effect that he had been engaged by some ene he did not know. Mr. Tyrwhitt said the prisoner was one of those dan gerous angry fellows who, because they could not get what they wanted, and were not allowed to do just as they thought proper, assaulted people. Committed for a month with hard labour. WESTMINSTER. HEARTLESS ROBBERY OF ♦ POOR WIDOW.—An Irish woman, 23 years of age, who gave the name of Alice Hol land, was placed at the bar before Mr. Selfe, charged with stealing a box containing five half sovereigns, a quantity of wearing apparel, and other articles, the property of Mary Spicer. Prosecntrix is a widow, working in a laundry to main tain herself &nd a child, and the robbery deprived her of all her savings, as well as other things. She said that she went out yesterday afternoon, leaving her apartment and little house, in the neighbourhood of Leader-street, per fectly secure. On her return home last night she found that a box containing five half sovereigns, some trinkets of very little value, a brooch, containing some of her deceased husband's hair, which she most prized, and a number of other articles had been carried off. On ezaminati.a of the place, it was found that the lock of the door had been un touched, an entrance to the room having been effected by the window. She went to the station, and on leaving it she met a policeman bringing her box in but empty. Mr. Selfe—Do you know anything of the prisoner? Prosecutrix—Yes, she lodged' ith me for about a couple of months. She•came to me as a servant out of place with nowhere to go to, and I took her in. Mr. Selfe—Did she lodge with yon up to yesterday ? Prosecutrix—No, she has left me a month. Mr. Selfe—What makes you suspect her ? Prosecutrix—No one else was in my house but her, and of course having lodged with me she knew all about my concerns, and besides that she has said quite enough to let me know she did it. Mr. Selfe—Tell me what she said and under what cir cutnstances ? Prosecutz ix—She was taken by a policeman after he had been some time looking for her, and then she said, " If you iet me go I will tell you where the box and money is." Mr. Selfe—Did she tell you? Prosecutrix—No, she did not tell me, because the police man would not listen to her and let her go, but took her to the station. Some of the little things at the bottom of my box were found scattered about Marlborough-square, Chel sea, wt ere the box was picked up. Alfred Archer, a boy, said he was going through Marl borough -square last night, when he saw the box against the railings and gave it to a policeman. A police-constable proved apprehending the prisoner, who had been drinking freely. He heard her offer to tell where the box and money was if liberated, but he of course refused to liberate her. Prisoner was remanded till Friday. THAMES. A FURY. -- Ellen Pyburn, a tall and dissipated-looking woman, was charged before Mr. Woolrych with breaking a large pane of plate glass in the window of the Cape of Good Hope publio-house, opposite Limehouse Church, and biting a pollee constable's thumb. The landlord of the Cape of Good Hope said that a party were quarrelling in front of his bar last night, and he re quested them to desist and leave his house. On their refusal to do so he put them out. The prisoner, who was very noisy and abusive, was among them, and she returned to the door and was attempting to force her way in when he pushed her back and requested her to go home. She immediately took up a stone and smashed a large pane of plate glass. The value of it was 40s. Mr. Woolrych—.Are you insured? Witness---Yes, sir, I am. I don't wish to hurt the pri soner, should be sorry if she is sent to prison. She has a Large family. A good talking-to would be of service. William Tyler, a pelice•constable, No. 155 K, said he took the pri.oner into custody. She made a most deter mined resistance, kicked, plunged, and repeatedly struck him. She also got his thumb into her mouth and bit it severely. The prisoner, in defence, said she would own she broke the window. She hed five children at home by the fire side. Thad were in want of food. She went after her husband to ask him for money to buy food. The landlord would not let her in the house for the purpose of looking after her husband, and she broke the window. Mr. Woolrych—You have committed two offences-- broken a plate of glass, and bitten the policeman's finger. You are sentenced to two months' imprisonment and hard labour. The prisoner —I will pay a fine. Mr. Woolrych—No ; I will not inflict a fine. You will go to prison for two months and hard labour. _ . Richard Pyburn, the husband of the last prisoner, was charged with assaulting Tyler in the execution of his duty, and was fined 10s., which he paid. A SCHOOLBOY, in nine cases out of ten, when asked how he is fed at school, will answer that the meat is "bad," the beer "swipes," the puddings "stodge," the butter "rancid," and the tea "wash,"—in short "beastly." STRATFORD OR LONDON ? as the Site for the National Monument to Shakspere.--On Monday a meeting was convened by the Mayor of Liverpool, in the Town Hall, to consider an application made by Mr. Flower, Mayor of St rat f or d- on-Avon, on behalf of what Mr. Flower described as that "paltry little town." Mr. Flower pointed out the claims of Stratford, as, in preference to London, the proper place for a national monument to Shakspere; and he urged his audience to accept that view of the case, and pledge themselves to assist the local Warwickshire Com mittee with funds. A motion to that effect was actually proposed by a gentleman present, but it found no seconder in the meeting. The theory that if a national monument is to be erected it must be in the national capital, was very ably sustained. In the end a vote was taken, to the effect that a Liverpool committee should be appointed, with the Mayor as chairman, and Dr. Collingwood as secretary, to would be well for that gre a t c co °consider i t t h y e to c t o a u k r e s —wdh w h ich wtu Nvn THE VOLUNTEERS. Capt. A. J. Mundella, commanding the Ist company of Robin Hood Rifles, has issued the following challenge to the Volunteers of Australia :—" On behalf of my company I am preprared to shoot a match during the ensuing year with 20 members of the company in Australia which has made the highest register as to marksmen in the year 1863; rifles to be long Enfields, issued by Government, 61b pull of trigger, 7 shots at each, at 200, 500, and 600 yards,and 7 shots file firing, at 300 yards, and 7 shots volley firing, at 400 yards, all in Hythe position; the individual firing tobe scored as at Wimbledon—viz outers counting two, centres three, and bull's eyes four; the file and volley firing to be counted according to Hythe regulations ; . the whole score to be added together, and the company making the highest score to win. No sunshades allowed, no misses to be sig nalled, and the whole to be shot in one day, and in all re• spects in accordance with the Hythe regulations, Each company to fire on its own ~,ractice ground, the umpire to be appointed by the National Rifle Association, and in Aus tralia by the officer commanding the Volunteers in the colony; time of shooting, July, in England, and in Aus tralia any month the Volunteers may select." The regis tering practice return of the company for 1863 is as follows —lst period, 70 ; 21 period, 66; 3d period, 65. The num ber of marksmen was 50, and the strength of the com pany 91. _ _ _ - A company has been formed for the purpose of building a large hotel on Wiutbledon-common for the accommodation of the members of the National Rifle Association and those who visit the locality for rifle practice and mititary ma noeuvres. A site for the building has been obtained on the common commanding a view of the ground on which the National Rifle Association holds its annual meetings, near the rile ranges of the 15th Middlesex (London Scottish)and Civil Service (21st Middlesex) Rifles, and within a mile of Richmond-park. It is proposed to provide cabs, carriages, and horses for the convenience of the visitors. The build ing will be a handscme Italian structure, divided into two separate departments. It will contain club, billiard, and ball rooms, and a masonic lodge, and upwards of 200 bed rooms. Among the directors of the company are Col. Colt, C. 8., of the Ist Administrative Regiment of Surrey Rifle Volunteers; Col. Creed, C. 8., Ist Middlesex Artillery Vo lunteers; Major Wright, let Middlesex Engineers; Mr. B. Smith, 23d Middlesex (Inns of Court) Rifles. The archi tect is Mr. A. Trimen, of Adam-street, Adel/3bl. On Saturday last a large number of both battalions of the Queen's ( Westminster) Rifle Volunteers assembled at West minster•hall, and after blank cartridge had been served out to each member marched, accompanied by the bands, to Hampstead, where they were put through a variety o f movements in light infantry drill. A sub-committee has been appointed to consider the whole question of the finances of the corps, which will be reported to the meeting of the central committee on Jan. 8. The result will bo communi cated to the corps at the distribution of prizes on the 9th, and it will then be notified what reduction can be made in the annual subscriptions in consequence of the Government grant, _ . . The quarterly competition among the second• class shots of the London Rifle Volunteer Brigade for three University tankards given by the Brigade Rifle Association has been brought to a close at the rifle ranges at Plaistow, Essex. The ranges were 200 and 600 yards. On account of the shortness of the time allowed for the contest and the large number who competed, the 600 yards range was omitted, but, as the winners of the tankards and several other com petitors made more than the proportionate number of marks in the two ranges, they qualified themselves for future badge competitions. The tankards were won as follows—Private Woolley, N company, 27 marks; Lieut. Christie, C company, 24 marks; and Private Thomas, E company, 20 marks. The condition of these association contests are five shots each at 200, 500, and 600 yards, all who make 25 marks and up wards being entitled to shoot in the next competition for the gold champion badges. The grand volunteer rifle contest, open to all the world, for prizes amounting in value to nearly £2OO, will be held to-morrow at Totnes. The money will be divided into prizes of £lOO, 120, £l5, three prizes of £lO each, and four of £5 each. The ranges will be 300:and 600 yards, seven shots at each, hits and points added, at 300 yards Hythe position, at 500 yards any position. There will be a Rifle Derby for small bores, and Rifle Oaks for Enfields on the following day. The fourth annual distribution of the regimental and company prizes of the St. George's Rifles will take place at St. James's-hall on Tuesday, the sth of January, at the conclusion of the concert which the regiment holds on that evening. The regiment mustered in force last week, at Burlington-house, to welcome the return of Col. Lindsay from the Continent, and his recovery from the accident he met with on Wormholt Scrubbs. He will present the prizes on Tuesday. The companies forming the Ist Administrative Battalion of Somerset Volunteers had a field day on Saturday. The men of the Ist, 2d, 14th, 17th, and 18th companies paraded in Queen-square, Bath, and afterwards marched to Kilston park, the residence of Col. Inigo Jones, colonel command ant, where they found a detachment of the sth (Keynsham) company awaiting them. The force was divided into two bodies,—one under the command of Adjutant Bampfylde, and the other under Captain Ford. The former were sup posed to hold the mansion of the colonel, which was sustain ing a siege from an enemy, represented. by Captain Ford's divisions. After some preliminary skirmishing an assault was ordered, which resulted in the defenders being worsted and taken prisoners. At the conclasion of tho:uxoncouvrem the men were regaled, and after the repast Mrs. Colonel Jones presented the silver challenge cups offered for com petition to the battalion of Colonel Jones and Mr. E. Lovell, clerk of the peace for the county of Somerset. They are held for this year by Privates Hay and Drake, of the Ist company. Colonel Jones also said a few words. He congratulated himself on commanding a bat talion in which there were 90 marksmen, and expressed a hope that there would be a meeting of Volunteers in that neighbourhood next year. The recipients of the cups having returned thanks, three cheers were given for Mrs. Jones and the gallant colonel. The officers on the ground then accepted the invitation of Colonel Jones to partake of luncheon, the band playing in front of the home. Shortly afterwards the companies fell in, marched past, and saluted. They then returned to Bath. We are authorised to state that there is no truth in the report that the Earl of Cardigan has subscribed either £lOO or f2OO towards paying Col. Crawley's expenses, or that pending the proceedings of the general court-martial he has placed himself at the head of a list of subscribers.— Morning Herald. MISSING VESSELS.—The Philo, Stevenson, sailed from Montreal on the 16th September for Queenstown, and is supposed to have passed Quebec on the 18th, and has not since been heard of. The Promesa de Torrevieja, Tor rents, sailed from Buenos Ayres on the Bth July for the Channel, and has not since been heard of. The Figaro-Programme publishes the following curious detail—" Alexandre Dumas, the novelist, is no longer paid by the line, but by the letter. Yes S the San Felice,' which is now being published, is paid for at the rate of a centime a letter. We can guarantee the exactitude of this fact.' e P d T e U r a R I ED navy, BY i T n H h E i 8 F o ffi E c D i a E I R r e A p L o S r t . — t 0 Tcho Congress gr e Sec retaryssFßlozfEtSheCFA refers to the number and value of the prizes captured since the declaration of the blockade. He says that the capture of 1,045 prizes, representing property to the amount of up wards of £3,000,000, have been submitted to the judgment 1 of the Federal prize courts. About halt that sum has been adjudicated upon, leaving, after paying all expenses, 51,200,000 for distribution amongst the captors of the seve ral prizes. A FRENCH VIEW OF ANCIENT ENGLAND. --The Scholar of Oxford, a comedy in th ree ants, and in prose, by Feu Wafflard, represented for the first time in the Second Thee.tre-Franiais, July 29, 1824; price 2 francs 50 centimes, Paris, Madame Virgin ie D abo, Publisher. I ought, perhaps, to say that the co py lying before me, stained and dingy, but yet in tolerable preservation, I found with a heap of other works in a by-street, offered at a penny a volume. It is neither th e better nor the worse for that, i T ,h h e e t c im ha e ra o e f t t e h rs is a c r o :L ed o y rd i g Md e t o h r er n e ,i reign of f Queen Eli za b eth. ambitious courtier, with a noble mansion in L o mbard-street, in can judge from the drama, a magnificent park ; Lady Norden, his sister ; .Miss Maria, v ., . (miss Maria, Jew . mere, has an awkward look) Wh o is said but their niece (Mies who i in the list of personages to bo their mother, ; Lord Straf fact, as nearly as I Jackson;ert, Professor ford, friend of the Morden family; Rob of Humanities in the College of Ai r. Student of the University of Oxford ; Will, rectors of lesser importance.and several cha ractersfirst • a forest, which turns out to be • The scene opens in et a ose sign is seen is a tavern, kept by Goot, on whose in Hyde Park. Therie. a small bundle and some books under his arm._ is as lent porter —logo a pied Will he has cheval." Enter He w lB. completed his studies, and He has just left the Unive rs i ty idea e of Oxford, beesasewnh pro tectorshPay his last quarter ' s nam e he does have forgotten t Ho has a va gue also because his n e°xpenses. that his father, not happen to know , whos e name ere I am," ex claims Will, "at w, has died in exile. . 18, free , my own master, and running the world ,without knowing w here I go. How the air is good I How I respire at Ah! t hi s clay is the most beau tiful of my life . mY ease . (He throws h i s books iteo the air.) Good by Quintus Curtius I good-by Virgil I good-by Horace I Your immortality has cost men many ou a flogging. Will, ti if You believe me, you are fatigued ; y want some refres ment. Ah, hero is a tavern where I can change my last guinea. Hello I Mr. Host, Mrs. llostess, Mr. Gout ! " Enter Mr. Goot, with a pot of beer in his hand. " Well, young gentleman," for one." " A pot of your best beer, Mr. Guot, and I will not beat you clown on it." " Here it is," said the publican ; "taste that; by the time you have drunk two glasses you will feel a vigour,a fire in the head. you will be furious, and ready to box with all the world. As for my porter, I reserve that for great occasions, such as a prize-fight, or my wife's birthday."—Diekeni s"All theYearßo un d ~ ,j ust published. THE ENGRAVING FROM SEBASTIANO DEL PIOMRO'S PICTURE, " THE RAISING OF LAziatus,' now in the National Gallery, upon which Mr. i)oo has been for several years engaged, is almost fluldhed. General Lytle on Terms of Peace. A correspondent of the fkfacon (George) Te/egraph writes from Northern Alabama. an account of several inter views which he had with Gen.. Lytle previous to the battle of Chicamauga, in which he fell. He says "A s Gen. Lytle was a quasi acquaintance., and a most accomplish, d gentleman and soldier, and, withal, having his headqua r ters on my farm, I availed myse,Tf of his invitation to via it him daily, and had much free and unembarassed conver sation with him touching the war and its prospects. He, in common with the whole army, seemed to entertain a strange unwavering faith, amounting to fanaticism, thlit they would march unobstructed to the centre , of Georgia, and crush the rebellion before winter, surd thus all their anxiety was about the escape of Bragg, with out relieving the tedium of the wearisome march by the excitement of battle. Disgusted with this constant explosion of bombast, I said—' Gentlemen, restrain your boasting till you get beyond the stiadow of yonder mountain, and I pro mise you some of the hardest fighting of this war, or airily war upon this continent.' Lytle asked why I said so ' You declare, making no secret, that you go to subjugate and rob of all their property, and subject to the Africans, a race of proud white men, noted for their pride of character.' I replied ; and can you expect they w il l not fight you, men, women, and children ? Make the case your own, and would you not say, if we skulk or fly, if these hold their peace, the very stones will cry out, and ca ll from their sepulchres the old fathers in their grave-clothes to drive back the invader? Hereafter you have fought on the iron tiers under the guns of your forts and gunboats, w h ere half the population were your friends—now you invade a united people, burning with intense hatred towards you, made so by the savage brutality of this war. I can h ave no hand i n i t, b ut depend upon it fi g ht awaits you, a n d final defeat.' Lytle replied, ' All this can and will be overcome by numbers. We shall be backed by 15,000 men yet, beyond the Ohio, and we can and will put down this rebellion, no matter what it costs. We have been fighting too long, as you say, on the frontier ; we shall hereafter strike at the centre, the heart of the rebellion, and that is Georgia. We will make Chattanooga our base to operate upon the cotton States, and so make short work of it." Well, grant for the sake of argument, you subjugate the South and free the negroes, and restore the Union —what sort of a Union will you have ?' said I. 'Did you ever know a grown-up white man whipped into a union and love with his enemy ? Would not such a union only breed rebellion ?' Colonel Harriso n , of Ohio, promptly said, If they are still rebellious we will kill them,' And may you not expect that their sons will av enge th e i r death P' I asked. 'We will kill them too, a ark, replace them with loyal Africans,' was the reply. General Lytle,' said I, 'this abolition war cannot be congenial to your nature; you are descended from an ancient Caro lina family. You cannot wish to see the South ern people exterminated." Nor do I, he replied, if they will cease to trample on the flag and return to the Union." Both sides have vindicated their honour and Courage,' I added; you are the strongest, therefore propo sitions of settlement should come from your side. Let your Congress annul Lincoln's Abolition Proclamation, and guarantee to the South security of person and property, and propose to them to return under the compromise proposed by the Southern Commissioners at Washington in 1860, and rejected by the Northern Congress, and stop this sui cidal war." Your leaders repudiated that compromise then, and would not receive it now; they are for total and e w, t la e r r en se shall 8 , e p ba a en r aedttieorennv,aelar,nidf hnwaeveceeasrseab rejyyeunst been, as ai preventdeterminedgaDdee mitoaprreha Democratic, i h er that t p el this miaen een do nineteen-twentieths hs of ever • follower of that miserable demagogue, Vallandigham. We are not Abolitionists.. 'We hate those traitors as bad as you can. We believe the negro was created for slavery, and for nothin g else, and the man of intelligence who doubts this afte r 5,000 years' ' trial, seems to me a fanatic or fool. Old Abe is a fool about many things—negro equality among them --and yet I hold as a war measure, his proclamation was right. Your slaves feed the rebel armies, while their masters fight us . any means to prevent this is legitimate. This fooli s h , and wicked, and unjustifiable rebellion must and shall be put down at whatever cost; and then, when our army has reached the heart of the rebellion, and dispersed the rebel army, I am for the Union as it was, and I shall insist that the South be invited back on the terms you propose; but there is to be no peace nor parleying with armed rebels." [RES FOB, 1864. ►RY. 1 .I:TARY. Lincoln Hungerford ,cu. Warwick Spring .. 16 Durham Northampton .. 29 Cat terick .. 30 Epsom Spring Newmarket Craven Newmarket First Spring 25 Manchester Irarpenden Epsom 24 I Stockbridge Chelmsford 2B Newcastle-on-Tyne Worcestvr (Summer) 30 Ipswich rLY. __ Nottingham . l9 Stamford Winchester l9 Southampton:.. 2O Goodwood UST. Plymouth Derby Lichfield . . . Stockton ......... ..••. ..... 3300 D e von and Exeter .••• 30 Lichfield .............. 30 Kilsit. Richmond Monmouth ........ Manchester Autumn • • 23 Newmarket First October 27 RACING FIXTU. JANIT, Manchester FEB Harrow Chelmsford Spring l6 Nottingham Spring 1 Derby Spring 3 Liverpool Shrewsbury Doncaster Spring Croxton- park Edinburgh Spring 2 Abergavenny 5 Thirsk 5 Chester York Spring Salisbury l2 Bath Ascot Hampton l5 Newton Odiham Bibury Newmarket July Carlisle Abingdon Liverpool July Pontefract Brighton 2 Brighton Club Lewes Reading . 11 Egham Oxford .. 18 York August 23 SEPT: Weymouth 1 Warwick .September 6 Leicester Doncaster .. Brecon .. 19 RIL. OCTOBER. Northallerton .. 6 Gloucester Newmarket Second Oct. 10 1 Newmarket Houghton 2l NOVEMBER. Shrewsbury Autumn .. 14 STEEPLECHASING FIXTURES Fps, 1864. —___ ____ _ FSBAUART. I 'l AberyaVvit4 ......... 15 Carmarthen .......... 2 Birmingham . .......... 16 c H a a tu r r b o r w i d g . e ......................... MARCH'. Grand Military (Rugby 8unt),,,, ,, 14 Arnm, Abergavenny .................... 5 NoTEILDER. Leamington and Warwickshire A 22 MARKETS --This Day. CUMBERLAND ~H AY MARKETS. SMITHFIELD.-- £4 Os to £5 10s Od ; and a Os £1 103 par load. Trade slow. straw, £1 5a to geadow h £3 to £4 108 Od ; clover, 0- 1 " - e ow hay, Li _, WHITEen A slow demand. -, a 4 £3 Osto £4 lOs 0 1 ;clover, £4 Os to £5 10a Od • E 4 Os to -PA , and straw, to £1 10s per load. . L. , 5s to £1 lOs per load; £3,oa to los Od ; clover, APEL.—Aleadow hay, 108 od • and straw, Trade inactive. ' COLONIAL. The Market remains closed !beam Christmas holidays. Business, ho we ver, will b e resumed on Tuesday next, the s thproximo. ~..........---........----.. _ TUE BIEXENSEAD RAMS.—We are informed on undoubted authority that the Messrs. Laird have received several bona fide offers for their celebrated iron. clad a friendly re s p t o o w f e thers w w h o o r world. are Messrs. at peaee L w a i i t r h d hvae themselves posit i ve ly declared that the vessels ate not for sale; and it wou ld thus seem that they have n o desire to shirk r and dm all t the responsibility of proving that they took the order for the construction of the ships in the first instance from pat ties whose connection with either one or the other of tho American belligerents it will be difficult, if not impossible, to s h o w. The last offer for the purchase of the "rams " was refused only in the early part of this week.—Army and Navy Gazette. GENERAL MEAGFlER.—According to the follow ing extract from the Boston Pilot, the reported cap ture of General Meagher by the Confederates was without foundation :—" We are pleased to learn that the statement published on the 7th instant, that General Thomas Franc is Meagher was captured by the rebels, during the recent movement of the Army of the Potomac, is entirely false, He was on a visit to the remnant of his old Irish l r when the advance upon the enemy was ordered, and, la might be expected from his previous carter, which has pluck, ho been remarkable for undaunted courageof and he was not taken prisoner. Ile returned went with them into the front across the Rapidan, and is now th i e , danger--but His reception of General oCorcoran,ld comrades ut F a a n i a r f brotherax Co Court-house, rt -ho generals,usoer.d cordial throughoutl. Constantinople letters and eon reception by his army, is said to have been most c and enthusiastic. a h n av o e rd b e e r en th r aT e l l i v e e n d c ' ef b or u ., theirhenceforward much interest. The Minister of Marine has issued a system of messes, on the English plan, is to; d for the officers be organised of the Turkish nav Y , both afloat and ashore. A PATENT FM . ? --••••• USE OF ARSENIOUS ACID as a mordant for the now familiar coal-tar dyes, has been taken out by Mr. Perl-'n The printed or dyed oods are fixed by steaming and'waas.hed in the usual manner to separate the excpss. 'lt is remarkable that the compound of arsenic showed some such important ends, both in tho produ c ti on 4 „ 1 fi x ,, t i ou of thcae colony:4 journals tent toa with te.tihht hene oelttn7lotehrlf: .ersey Poole ed to ens' seven Dale. ir enca left soma D aft, any Llce it ThoY for a eizeti stat o 16010 ours e ptain a gle, 7 th e L the