The Sun. — London, England, 1863-11-20 00:00:00

--- J IFEBOP ~T SERVICES. —During the recent ..1 heavy ga' Les some of the boats of the Na' tonal Lifeboat institution s: ived 67 persons from different wrecks.to t T he i he C omm ittee of the Institutio n earnest y APPEAL public for A.. iSISTANuE to enable them to meet the con tinued heavy demands on the Inhtitution's 125 lif eb iat estab- lis liments. C 'outributions are receivrd by all the London and country 1 iankerg ; and by the Secretary, Richard Lewis, at the Institution, 14, John-street, Adelphi, W.C. fl • : OY A..L ENGLISH OPERA,, , COVENT-GARDEN. Underl t i e 3ianas. , W. ,ementot Miss Louisa P yne and Mr. rrison. Tills El' 'ENING. W4llace's Romantic Opera, THE; --- Esia,El7 if LOWER: Miss Louisa Pyne, Miss Susan Pyne ; News. W. 11. Weiss, 11. Cond, A. Cook, and W. Ilarrisor To cona tide with TIIF SIA It El 'AGE OF GEORG ETTI;. bliss Tliir iwall and )Jr* IL Corri. Conductor. Mr. A. Mellon. Doot s open at hall-past Six— ommence at Seven. 1-TRATRE, ROYAL DRURY -1, ANF;. Main , h ers, Messrs. E. 1 4 'alconer and F. IL Chattert on. T iIl 1r F.y ING, tkr Majesty's Servants will nerf arm a New and Orig. final Farce, by ►iessrs. Wni Brough snd A. entitled MY tlr:Attl"S IN THE HIGHL ANDS: cnaracters by Mr. Ne"ille, Mr. G. Weston, Mr. 'ffarde, Mr. J. Marris ; Mrs. C. Melville, and Miss ilarfleur.. After which. Lord Byron's Choral Tragedy, MA - SFRF.D. Messrs. 1 hells, Ryaer, Rayner, M agreson, Ware, pencer ; Miss Eburne, Hiss F. Atkinson, Miss Leclercq, and Mrs. E. Falconer. Vocalists—Miss Poole, Miss Hitter, Miss Cicely Nett, Miss Heywood, and Mr. Swift. To conclude with an Original Fare, by J. Oxenford, Esq , entitled BEAUTY Olt THE BEAST. Principal cha racters by Messrs. Addison, G. F. Neville, Barret, spencer, and G. Weston; Mrs Edmund Falconer and Miss a. Leolcrq. TEIEATRE ROYAL HAYNI A RKET.- Sole Lessee and Manager, Mr, Buckstone. THIS EVE NING, SILKEN FETTEKS Measrs. Chas. Mathews, Chippendale, W. Farren, Howe, &c. ; Mesdames C. Mathews and M. Harris. Followed by THE GOLDEN FLEECE. Messrs. Charles Mathew 4, Complton,Weathersby,&e. ; Mesdames C. Ma.thews, L Keeley. Grill th, &c. Followed by C.)DL AS A CUCUMBE R. Mr. C. Mathews. And MY HUSBAND'S GHOST. Commence at 7. "[I OYA.L LYCEUM THEATRE. Pechter. Lt.( Under the Sole Manageme nt of Mr. will be repeated BEL DENIONIO (a Triumpha nt Success) Eve: y 141veninfi: until further notice. T Comedietta, by W. Gilbert, entitled UNCLE BA BY Mees s. \\rid dicombe, J. G. Shore, Charles; Miss P. Leaercq, and Carlotta Leclercq. After which, at Eic,ht o'clock, BEL DEMONIO, a Love Story, in Twelve Tabieaux, taken from Stendhal's "Italian, Chronicle.." by Mr. John Broug•ham. Principal charac ter by Mr. Pechter, supported by Messrs. Jordan, Charles, u:ha.m, Emery, Ramond, Moreland, Smith, Clifford, Colle%t, Andrews, Sims; Miss Kate Terry, E. Lavenue, Lee, an I. Miss Elsworthy. e n at half-past 6—commence at 7. Doors op LEAII.- ---- BVERY NIGHT. T HEA":II,E-R0 YAL, ADELpm N EW, :te Prow-intim and Man a z er . M r. B. Wobator. THIS EVENING, at 7, TIIE TitAGEDY QUEEN : Mrs. :' ti S, the New Drama of LEAH : 7th weeK of Miss Bate man,nrted. by Mesers. AT Our StirlinK, R. Phillip s , Bit sitcrp.,. lirzton, Stuart, A Wood, hburnc, Miss H. Simms and Mrs. jai fling ten. r , conclude with CATCHING AN HEIRESS : Miss Woolgx.r and Mr. A. Wood. YAL STRAND THEATRE. Manager, Mr. W. 11. Swanborough. THIS EVENING, MY SON'S A DAUGHTER. Miss Josephq, Mr. Parselle. After which, MIRIAIP3 CRIME. Messrs. G. Honey,. Parselbt, Belford, Turner, Miss K.Saville, and Miss Manders. Folio wed by IVANHOE. Miss Ada Swanborough. To conclude with FAINT HEART NE VER VY ON FAIR L A DY- Mr. Leigh Murray, this Buf ton, Commence at 7. TEE THIRD EDITION OF " THE SUN," Con, talnin the Latest SPORTING INTELLIGENCE, Zan be had Every Evening of G. R. GIANIE. NEWS AGENT, No• 4, Connaught-terrace, Hyde-park. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. THIS DAY.—Morning, 94. 2513:I.—Afternoon, 104. 3m. Yo-mootßo w.-Morning, 10h. 40m.—Afternoon, 11h. 14m. The Weather—Sun Office, Nov. 20, 1863. THERMOMETER. This day at Two o'clock 6O Barometer-30.11. Wind—South-Weet ; light, and fine. IOU! Z 4 1 .10 = 4 - ASUIL LONDON, FRIDAY, NOV. 20, 1863. It may be regarded as a matter of tolerable cer tainty that the Congress proposed by the French EMPEROR will„ after all, be eventually assembled. The propositic was regarded, by some of our con temporaries, at., the outset, we are aware, as all but impracticable, as the result of a sort of diplomatic hallucilation on the part of NAPOLEON 111. It was teested in some quarters even with an ap proach to tl le disdainful, as the most extrava gant of alt the Idees Napoleoniennes. And yet Cabinet Councils were being held upon it all the while b. ere, in England for example. Minis ters and Sovereigns were gravely and even anxiously deliberating over the proposition. Several evenings since we announced that the pro babilities were, that already this proposition of the French 7S.MPEROR'S had been virtually accepted by the nrajority of the Chief Powers of Christendom. That ardicipation is now being formally and aeliberhtely justified. Several of the minor Powers °t Ear ope have already given in their frank adhe rP- The others have, most of them, already made accompanying minds to do likewise, a few amongst them their intimation of their agreement with cart aw - very stringent, but, for the most part, very r , _ &Eatable, stipulations. It seems only a rational at , . eautlon, for instance, to insist upon it, as a ,aeeeSaaty prelimin ar y to the commencement of the delibe rations perfeotlybe well°t any such Congress, that it should understood before, and what the sr.bject-matte r 01 t heiridelib erat i ons was likely to be. Otherwise than by co nformingto a definite pro gr amme before th e opetin C o ngress the Congress itae ifgaf the sittings of such a _might, indeed, float off, Wou ld be all but cert a i n to float ti 4 t off into all kinds of vague gener ali ties. Gra nted that there is such a. Programme carefully dra wn , ttp a veteran Sovereign like the one rumo ur au : a y i b y t . s to as the one consulted to that very (inci 1 : 5, the Empeior of the FRENeu, meanie 'Majesty . ailin g the r.gc:d constitutional Sovereign of . such good LEOPOLD—there is no earthly reaZglin:' Ki ng should not eventually come from 14 Con peas as this one now proposed to be holden at p oi .. • n e manating, as the 'World in 1861. The proposition ti vorld knows full well, end would not fail alway, to member, emanating directly and individually from the most powerful and gifted of all the Sovereigns of the European Continent. An pean Congress, born of a Peace, might just as reasonably be looked to, for the remodelling of the world so far as relates to that portion of it, as a Congress born of a Great War, a Congress like that cf 1815 following immediately upon the dying out of the stupendous crash of a giant battle like that of Waterloo, upon the downfall of a Colossus like the Emperor NAPOLEON THE GREAT. Diplo matic negotiations are, in point of fact, a far more rational preliminary to the convocation of an European Congress than the E (pandering of w ar - subsidies, and the shedding of rivers of human blood. " The bloated arms- Ins 3 rite deuounced two years ago, so very strongly, by the men., utterance of that happy phrase, by Mr. Dtsßktus are, in one sense, as urgent a reason, magnitude and their long con tinuance—furnish pressive a re ason as urgent and quite as im tclor thee calling together thns of a great European Congress " might b 3 yielded by &sly amount of e=pendittire in v.ct blood and money, by any number of alt ernate by any series, no m batter ow l i es and defeats, a Cdrapaigns, and Warlike Coalitions. With modifications, with stif,ulati ons , With preliminary neptiations, with a plain matter-of-lut categorical programme carefu ll y ma pp ed out, and un animously accepted before hand am on g the tSevereign,,, we regard the French EurF,Ron's scheme of a C ongress for the readjustment of Europe as eminently feasible, instead of looking upon it as i:Y-3ing, what many have IRen inFiating te.n.lonically ever inee the first 2 aggrstion of it by NAPOLEON, that it is, namely, N project wholly and absolutely impracticable. At the very least, Europe can but try whether it is feasible, whether it is practicable. Despite our Boards of Health and sanitary in specters, there is unhappily no room left us for doubting that some parts of our wealthy metropolis are in a state which is a disgrace to our civilisa tion. Foremost among these is Bethnal-green, to which the present high rate of mortality has lately attracted so much of public attention. instead of feeling any surprise at this mortality, those who read the revelations made at the coroner's inquest, lately held in Bethnal-green-road, will only wonder that the deaths have not been still more numerous. The condition of the locality in which several deaths have taken place, the last of which was the subject of the inquiry, was described as something appall in g• The stench was a subject of universal complaint. One woman, the mother of seven little ones, said that her eldest child often complained of it. Well it might, for it was bad enough to prove fatal to a younger sister, the latest victim to the prevailing malaria. The poor child, only five years old, was ill for five weeks, her ill ness being of course ushered in by violent sickness. This probably excited little notice or alarm, for one woman who lived close by described the stench as being so overpowering that a person " would almost retch his heart out" when he went into the yard. The houses are small enough, consist ing of only four rooms, and eh for the occup ant of three-fourths ofone t o h n e ly for p e a m id ost s r s. equ a isit w es ee n k f a re d n e t o , ent b a u n t d h o e n a e lth o y f habitation seems to be altogether wanting, and the drainage entirely neglected. Complaints were made to the collector, who could not deny the evidence of complainantshis buteyes,by contented himself and silenced the assuring them that things would Ibe better when the drainage was settled. It might have been thought that the frightful condition in which he found the houses was a sufficient evi dence that it was high time it was settled ; but neither landlord nor collector appear to have troubled themselves overmuch about the matter. Perhaps the reason adduced by one of the witnesses for remaining in such miserable premises helped to increase this indifference. Mrs. DE COSTA, the mother of the dead child, said that she did not leave because it was difficult to get a house for her large family without paying more rent. As some excuse for her remaining, it may be said that she had lived there for several years, but it was only lately, she said, that the drains were so very bad. The rooms in which they lived had not, it seemed, been white washed or cleaned for three years ; but, of course, with the prevailing ignorance of the poor on all physiological matters the occupants of these wretched places were unaware of the deadly injury to health arising from the fetid vapours. The reckless indifference of landlords is only too much encouraged by the lamentable want of knowledge of the very laws of life among the lower classes. It is a pity that our school teachers and home mis sionaries who visit much among the poor do not suc ceed in inculcating a little of this sound and prac tical knowledge. The closeness of the rooms in which they live adds tenfold to the inevitable evils arising from overcrowding. They do not avaii themselves of the scanty means of ventilation which they possess, while in workshops, factories, &c., the dislike of the hands to open windows deprives them of the one great antidote to a thousand ills. It is not for want of ocular demonstration, as well as scientific assertion, that the benefits of fresh air are so little understood. It is a matter of common observation that anyone who is much in the open air invariably enjoys better health than those en gaged in any indoors occupation. The able and ntelligent Coroner for Middlesex lately observed that he found less disease among the children of the very pcor, than among those belonging to the class above thew. This difference he attributed entirely to the fact of the former being constantly out at play in the streets, whereas the others were kept indoors in close rooms. Facts like these de serve to be borne in mind, since the state of our public health does not bear a due proportion to our advance in other respects, and we must look to the wider diffusion of sanitary knowledge for improvement. But valuable as fresh air un doubtedly is, it will not supply the place of good and efficient drainage, and so long as houses are left in the condition of those in Hollybush-gar dens we may expect fever, cholera, and malaria to reign triumphant. So long as the roadway leading to such places is "six or eight inches deep in mud, green and stagnant in places," so long as the ill-drained closets almost open into the kitchens, and no attempt is made to make sur face drains, or otherwise provide for the proper drainage of the houses we must expect to hear of a string of deaths from preventible causes. We must confess with shame that our cumbrous social machinery is inadequate to secure the necessities of life to honest working people and their families, and incompetent to protect them against the shame ful cupidity, or culpable negligence, of landlords. Too much attention can hardly be paid to the question of prison discipline, A few remarks here and a proposal there will not exhaust the subject or produce the desired improvements that are soanuch wanted in that direction. The letter of the Right Hon. 0. B. ADDERLEY to the Times of yesterday is well worthy of attention, and seems to enter into the discussion of the subject in a right spirit and with a due amount of zeal. Although various pro posals have been made, it is still incumbent upon the public to consider the question gene rally, and to rsficct upon what remedial measures will be the best to b© adopted. Considering the exs,,, tss failure of our present mode of discipline, it does not _ are toe strong that the remarks of Mr. ADD E RLEY g when he says that penal tr e at me nt is reta st k ab t i " or " complication, unintelligibility, uncertainty a n d weakness." Indeed, no language seems too e mph4tio the culpabl e isdni e os too censorious that exposes that has been shown to the prisoners who have b eenw i convicted of crimes of the marked partiality that ' a such cases, the very displayed, in time worked out its own e x t which they could ha things came to a pa ss a. tolerated. When once it is an ack upon prisons ea fact that critni nals only loo k as a pl ace o p irksome in its way, no doubt, ' t emporary but et y terri f yin g confinement, associated with n o very i d eas, it i® hi h time that some stringent measur es 010 , 04 g be adopted, and in some measure, at least, that u wholesome terror he res tored to the expe r i ence of prison discipline. All this takes time, and is, more. over, a very difficult thing to do. It is m uch easier to point out the errors a nd to trace the defects in a system. than to explain e xactly how they may be remedied, or what will co nstitute a cure. This is why it is so reprehensible on the part of the authorities to alter the regulations an d to modify the arrangements in so great a degree, be cause it seems almost impossible, or, at all events, very difficult to restore anything like order to the confused system of prison discipline, or to re-adjust the plan o f pena l serv i tu d e. A comparison i s h er e instituted between the separate modes proposed by Lord GREY an d Sir A. COCKBURN. Altn : dWelling A THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, NOVEYIBER 20, 1863. on the peculiarities of each, Mr. ADDERLEY remarks that his views expressed on this subject some time ago accord with those of the last named authority. It would appear that there is some ground for awarding favour to this last notion, "Punishment is not education." Doubtless, with the,best inten tions, and animated with the most sincere endea vours to benefit the unfortunate individuals, who are outcasts from society, most of the alterations and modifications of the latter-day reformers and prison worthies have failed completely and alto gether. It would be better to keep to the direct object that should be in view all along, that of hold ing out some sort of terrorism to the delinquent, instead of trying to be too comprehensive, and thus failing in a way prejudic i al to the prisoner and hurtful to the interests of society. Indeed it may be questioned if a due iiimount of severity would no, be the simplest and surest means of reformation ; it would at all events hold out some deterrent influ ence, which at present does not seem to be done at all by the philosophic views adopted, and the philanthropic measures instituted to soften down punishment until it becomes almost a mockery to call it by that name. Mr. ADDERLEY has very clearly explainel his notions on this all-important subject, and though, doubtless, many will be disappointed at the solem nity and severity of his ideas, there is great truth in his observations, and it would be well if more attention were paid to his theories. Put into prac tice, our prisons and gaols might lose some of their interest for those who are morbidly sensitive upon the subject of severity to criminals, but they would gain much in essential service to the country gene rally, and to other interests particularly. Surely the definition here met with in respect to the right nature of penal laws is a very correct one, namely, that it should present " definite terror to the public mind exceeding temptation to the offence." If this effect were once given to the system of penal disci pline a very different result would ensue, and a far greater proportion of safety would be felt by those who are now in constant apprehension of some out rage being committed at home or abroad. It seems a hard thing to disallow the practice of leniency to a great extent, but the right course is the ono that is always the wisest and the kindest. Mercy may be shown with great advantage to the weak, the tempted, and the penitent, but the hardened crimi nal should have a full measure of justice meted out to him. Mr. ADDERLEY has announced his inten • tion of setting forward his views, on the question of secondary punishments being rendered more effi cacious, and doubtless he will bring to light some notions worthy of attention, at any rate no harm can possibly be done by calling notice to the sub ject, and much good may be effected by the general discussion of the question. Much has been said sententiously about a panic legislation being quite absurd, but it is creating the evils referred to to per sist in delaying until all alterations and changes are done in a hurry that defeats its own purpose, and occasions universal confusion and ferment. This topic of prison discipline is one of the chief social questions of the day, and it ill becomes those who shirk inquiry and procrastinate reform until the evil assumes a magnitude that is appalling. LATEST INTELLIGENCE. (REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.) THE SCHLESWIG-HO L STEIN QUESTION. HAMBURG, Nov. 20. Yesterday evening a meeting was attempted to be held here by citizens of Hamburg and inhabi tants of Schleswig and Holstein, who had arrived here for that purpose. They were, however, dis persed by the police in three different places, and finally proceeded to the village of Uhlenhorst, where the meeting took place. Addresses were voted to the Prince of Augusten burg and the Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. Tne Prince of Augustenburg was requested in the address voted to him to place himself at the head of the people. Twenty-four members of the Holstein Diet unanimously resolved yesterday to solicit the Federal Diet for the most speedy protection of the rights of the country. This request has already been sent to the Federal Diet. The other members of the Diet who were not present at the meeting on account of its having have been asked to s b i e g e n n prohibited e s s b . y the police, CHINA AND JAXAN, SHANGHAI, OCT. 9. Alsjor Gordon is before Soochow. An attack on that city is imminent. Reinforcements have been sent to Taitsand and Cluinsan. The news from japan is unfavourable, Armed men are appearing at Nagasaki, Prince Satsuma and other princes are preparing for war. SPAIN. MADRID, Nov. 20. It is stated that the Government supports t h e candidature of the Archduke Maximilian of Au s t r i a tor the Mexican throne. Advices from San Domingo report that the Spaniards have retreated from Puerto Plata in good order. LITERATURE, Mrs. Jones's Evening Party. By Edmund Rout ledge. One vol. Pp. 156. Routledge and Co. Since the earlier days of Albert Smith we don't remember any more delightful prattling gay capital bit of fun .than this whimsical little record of Mrs. Jones's Evening Party, by Edmund Routledge. The heroes and heroines of the domestic scene aro precisely of the kind, style, or manner of the imaginary creatures people ing poor Albert South's tales of frolic—some of it, frolic, fast and furious. They are of the genus of our old and young friends in " Christopher Tadpole," and the like. Tne incidents, here as there, consist, for the most part, of practical joking. There Ire, in each instance, frequent touches of humour, sometimes of satire, but the latter always perfectly innocent and inoffensive. Stout Mrs. Jones with her Malaprop-iiae blunders in the way of scientific mis-quotation good-tempered and slightly hen-pecked Mr. Jones of the City and Ciapham—lackadaisiacai Miss Tozer, the latter's step-daughter—and hobedihoyish Jones junior, the former's (that is Mrs. Jones's) stepson : all these are very drolly and amusingly discriminated. Ditto might be said of several among t ,e motley guests collected together for " the Party." Icotance, for example, Mr. Flutter, the semi idiotic joke maker, who is always poking fun at the others, somehow, as one may say, with the wrong finger! Mr. Plastic, with his conjuring tricks and his Shaksperian Puzzles, these latter the oddest pictorial freaks of fancy well conceivable! Mr. Stouter, the fat friend and intimate of the host Jones—that same intolerable Mr. Stouter, who is perpetually thrusting into the conversation (apropos to boots, or to just nothing in fact) allusions to his crony, Old Wippermann ! Just as Jerrold's Job Caudle used to be continually fretting Mrs. C. with references, distractingly iterated, to his crony, Prettyman! Tnese and a few others make up the personages of this comical, dramatical, fan tastical, whimsical sketch, in which the anima• tion of the young writer never flags from the beginning to the end of his amusing narrative. Mr. Edmund Routledge is very manifestly—what his young lady readers are quite certain to look upon him as—a bit of a quiz. Ha has, clearly enough, a lively sense of the humorous. He can write, more • over, whatever his theme, at all times quite unaf fectedly. His English version of the popular French novelette about the Adventures of a Spurting Dog, in every word of it (and we examined it pretty closely throughout), was far more than merely satis factory. It was delightful indeed—as vre took occa sion to intimate in these columns almost immediately after its publication. He has, besides this, written a capital little handbook about Cricket. He has collected together two or three laughable mis cellanies, such as a smal . volume called " Hodge podge," and another small volume of " Jokes and Riddles," what Lord Dundreary pronounces Widdles ! Added to which, he is editing, or has been recently and for some time past editing, and that too very ably and pleasantly, indeed, a boy's magazine—" Every Boy's Magazine"—a genuine un mistakeable boy's magazine, an illustrated periodi cal that, we feel certain, must be as greedily devoured as nuts or figs by the boy-readers of it. A selection of some of the funniest serial narratives published in the course of its periodical issue, makes up, in fact, this amusing sketch of " Mrs. Jones's Evening Party." Several portions of the narrative are, each of them, worth the cost of the whole collection; such as " Valentine and Orson, or the Swell and the Rough ;" as that ridiculous Mr. Flutter's " Fanciful Roll of Riddles ;" as Mrs. Jones's Quaint Collection of Queer Epitaphs; or, to crown all, as the " New Drawing -room Burlesque." Nine illustrations are scattered among the letterpress. The volume alto gether is just one of those books so safe to be tho roughly thumbed by the young people of the household that the majority of its leaves will for certain be dog's-eared long before Christmas. Maple Hayes. A Novel. Three vols. Newby. Although this story is improbable, even to the verge of impossibility, it possesses a certain amount of interest of the sensational kind. The author has evidenced no inconsiderable ability in the construction of the greater part of his plot, Ind very considerable power, indeed, in the delineation of the principal charac • ter.' Twenty years before the story begins, an Englishman, travelling in France, has married and deserted a village girl. After his departure, stung by the taunts of her associates, the deserted wife, ignorant of the name and whereabouts of her husband, comes to England with her infant son. Slaving some idea that her treacherous husband is engaged in the pottery trade she opens a shop for the sale of earthenware manufactures, hoping and be lieving that time will bring nim to her door. In this belief she " waits"—waits on for twenty years, until her black hair is whitened by suffering, until she has become prematurely aged. The character of this woman, and the intensity of her fiendish craving for revenge, are very powerfully described. One great blemish in the tale as a work of art is—that our sympa thies are enlisted on the wrong side. The treacher- Jus husband, and not the deserted wife, becomes the object of the author's tender interest, and the poetical justice so ingeniously brought about and so awfully awarded at the close of the history, is, to say the least of it, very "one-sided" justice. As to the episode of Either's imaginary marriage, it is impossible, and unnecessary, and ridiculuus. Cassell's Robinson Crusoe.—Defoe's master piLce is certainly just now putting our popular publishers upon their metal in the way of illustrative competition. Simultaneously with the issues of complete editions superbly embellished, the Messrs. Cassel:, Petter, and Gilpin are now beginning with this initial instalment, the periodi cil publication in penny weekly numbers, of an illustrated edition of "Robinson Crusoe" for the million. Considering the price at which the serial makes its appearance, it is everthing that could in reason be looked for. Together with the first number of it, there is given away a wonderful " large engraving " (10 in. by 21 in.) a sort of zoological nightmare, entitled " The Hunting of Wild Animals"—bisons, camelopards, emus, and all kinds of other outlandish quadrupeds inter mingled pith ostriches, &c., scouring over a wil derness of Martinesque proportions. Cassell's Natural History.—Another excellent auxiliary in the working out of the self-education of the multitude is here supplied by the Messrs. Cassell, Fetter, and Galpin. It is worthy of, and indeed entitled to, what we doubt not it will earn for itself, a wide circulation. Thorley's Farmers' Almanac for 1861. Ward and Lock.—A fourpenny almanac full to repletion of use ful, and some of it even to the general reader, interest ing information. There is no discernable indication of haste or carelessness in the putting of this infor mation together. It appears to us to have been well considered throughout. The following little tabular statement as to the fluctuation of the corn averages will bo found of interest to all : The averages deduced from the London Gazette, for the fifty-two weeks ending Michaelmas, 1863, were :—Wheat, 46s 8d per imperial quarter; barley, 34s 3d per imperial quarter ; oats, 21s 9d per imperial quarter. During the saute period, the following abstract shows the dates of the highest and lowest prices, with the difference : s. d. Wheat, Oct: 10, 1862 Barley, March 13, 1863 Oats, July 10, 1833 Lowest prices. Difference, • s. 'l. 8. Ci. Oct. 2, 1863 July 24, 1863 Jan. 23, Oct. 2, 1863 20 2 10 The following also, though the authority is not given, has its attraction for most readers, but more particularly for vegetarians : WONDERS FROM CULTIVATION. Thereis scarcely a vegetable which we at present employ that cm be found to grow naturally. Our wheat is a ficti tious production, rais'd to its present position by the art of agriculture. Rice, rye, barley, or even oats, are not to be found wild—that is to say, growing n aturally in any part ot the earth—but have been altered by the industry of man kind, from plants not now resembling theta, even in such a degree as to enable us scarcely to recognise their relations. The acrid and disagreeable apron gravoleta has been trans formed into delicioue celery ; and the co4wQrfl Ft piatit Of scanty leaves, not weighing altogether half an ounce, has been improved into cabbage, whose leaves alone bear many pounds, or into a cauliflower of considerable dimensions, being only the embryo of a few buds, which in their natural state would not have weighed as many grains,. The potato, again, whose introduction has added millions to our popu lation, derives its origin from a small bitter root, which grows wild in Chili and Monte Video. The Metropolitan Board and Thames Em- banknient Contract. Yesterday the Marylebone representative vestry was engaged for some considerable time in discussing a matter arising out of some questions put to the members for Marylebone at the Metropolitan Board, in reference to cer tain disclosures which have been mach with regard to the recent tenders and acceptance of contract for carrying out the northern Thames embankment; Mr. Churchwarden Hodges in the chair. Mr. FILMIC said he had given notice to the two hon. gentlemen who represented St. Marylebone at the Metro politan Board of Works of his intention to put a question to them as to the truth certain allegations which were going abroad in reference to the certain acceptance of con. traces for carrying out the Thames embankment, The allegations were, that although Mr. Ridley had put in a tender, which had been accepted, for the Northern Thames Embankment at £195,000, Messrs. Baker for £195,600, and Mr. Moxon for £510,076; and although Mr. Ridley, in addition to four other securities, offered to deposit £20,000 in the hands of the boards, the chief engineer made such representations that the board were induced to reject Mr. Ridley and the others, and accept the contract of Mr. Furness at £520,000, thus taking out of the pockets of the ratepayers and completely throwing away £21,500. That thin sawe Mr. Furness had, on the recommendation of the chief engineer, obtained the con tract for the northern outfall, at £164,000, when there was a tender for £131,000, and that it bad transpired that without the knowledge or consnt of the Board of Woiks, their chief engineer was to be or had been paid from this same contractor a sum of about £15,000 as a per centage upon some works being carried out by him at Odessa. It was a most important matter to the ratepayers of the me tropolis, who would be the sufferers, if contractors were not dealt with fairly and honestly at the Metropolitan Board, and it was therefore the right of every vestry and district board to know if there was any truth in these allegations. (Hear, hear.) Mr. NICIIOLAY said as a friend of local self-government, end one who was most anxious that the Metropolitan Board should not lose the high estimation in which he believed it was at present held by the public, he was fully pre pared to answer these questions. He deeply regretted to say that from what had occurred there was no doubt but that the allegations were too true, It was true that Mr. Ridley's tender for £495,000 was in the first in stance accepted ; that in addition to other securities he offered to deposit £20,000 in the hands of the board, and on a doubt being expressed of his ability to carry out so great a work, he answered that ho should be assisted by the emi nent firm of M'Cormick and Sons. On the question being put to the engineer as to his views, he said that Mr. Fur ness's experience and capabilities were such that ho had greater confidence in him, and the board, acting upon the opinion of their engineer, annulled the contract of Mr. Ridley. He (Mr. Nicholay) had voted for Mr. Ridley from first to last, because he thought him quite capable of carrying out the work. It subsequently transpired, through Mr. Baztlgette being made a defendant to a bill in Chancery, that he was concerned with this Mr. Furness is certain drainage works at Odessa, and was to receive from him a per centage amounting to over £12,000. Now, not only was this a startling affair, but it must be borne in wind that Mr. Bazalgette received from the Metropolitan Board a salary of £1,700 per year, in consideration that his talents and time were to be devoted excluaively to the service of the board, and that he was to take no other works without their knowledge or consent. Here then was a breach of contract, and when these matters came before the board they were not only much grieved, but as tounded, and at the chairman's suggestion the whole matter was referred to a committee to investigate. That committee had not yet reported, and he (Mr. Nicholay) had no desire to prejudge the question, but as the matter had oozed out in a letter published in a rocal journal, and he was asked the question, he felt it his duty to state the facts, which could not be materially altered when that report came forward. Mr. D'IFFANGER said he was free to confess the circum stances which had come to light were deplorable and not free from suspicion, but on investigation he thought they would turn out not so black as they seemed. He was not there to defend Mr. Bazalgette, but he could have wished that the publicity had been deterred till after the pro ceniings in Chancery, as Mr. Baz tlgette's statement would then be upon oath, but that of S r John Hare, who bad filed the bill, was not. What had transpired was, that Sii J. Rennie bad obtained the concession to carry out the works for the sewage of the city of Odessa, and came to Mr. Bazalgette to ask him if he could recommend a contrac tor. He said yes, and recommended Mr. Furness, and there was an understanding that Sir J. Rennie and Mr. Bazalgette should have 4 per cent. between them out of the money to be paid for the works, which was £741,000, or 2 per cent. each. Sir John Hare, who was also concerned, feeling aggrieved, had filed a bill in Chancery against Sir J. Rennie, Mr. Baz Algette, and that was how the matter came out. With reference to this contract, although on the face of it it might appear that favou ritism was exercised by the engineer towards Mr. Furness, the facts were that Mr. Ridley himself con fessed that he had never carried out works of such magni tude. Messrs. Baker refused to contract unless there was an arbitration clause introduced; and Mr. Moxon was not accepted, because (although the Metropolitan Board did not loose a penny by it), having ruined himself by his contract for the northern high-level sewer, they feared the contract would be too large for him ; and it cer tainly was not without suspicion that Messrs. M'Cormick and Son, whose own tender was the enormous sum of £633,727, should offer to join Mr. Ridley in the same work for £195,000. Mr. FREETII looked upon the whole affair as extremely suspicious, and cal , ulated to destroy all confidence in the engineers. Ho moved a resolution to the effect " That the members for Marylebone be requested to watch, at the Metropolitan Board, the proceedings in regard to the recent contracts for the Thames Embankment, and communicate any information they think necessar3, from time to time, on the subject to the vestry." Mr. SURRIDGE seconded the resolution, and it was carried unanimously. Names of English Rivers. —s- My friend Grimson divides the derivation of names of rivers into seven classes. 1. Those which describe the river simply and abstractedly as the water. 2. Those which describe it as violent, gentle, wide, or sluggish. 3. Those which describe a river by its course, as winding, straight, or crooked. 4. Those which refer to the quality of its waters, as clear, bright, dark, or turbid. 5. Those which refer to the sound made by its waters. 6. Those which refer to its source or the manner of its formation. 7. Those which refer to it as a boundary or a pro tection. Of the first simple and more barbaric class, which includes mere appellatives, are many English rivers whose names end in " a" and " ew," as the Rotha and the Caldew. The Avon which wanders by the church where Shakespeare lies buried, owes its name to the old Celtic word avon (water), the Gothic Ahva. The Devonshire Anne, the Cumberland Eheu, and the Cornish Inney, owe their origin to the same simple source ; while the Scotch Bannock and Errick, like the Berkshire Ock and the Devonshire Oke were christened from the obsolete Gaelic word oich, signifying also water. From the Sanscrit amba (water) flows as it were the Berkshire Emme, the Humber, the Mole, that mys terious stream in Surrey, and the Staffordshire Hatrips : all expressing what the Sanscrit root of ambu does—movement, the most wonderful thing about water being its involuntary movement and inner life. It is to the Celts we are indebted for that dangerous gift whisky ; to them too we owe its name, which means water, from the Welsh wyag, water. From this root come the names of many rivers, as the Devonshire Axe, the Sotnersetshire Axe, the Wiltshire Usk, the Scotch Esk, the Monmouthshire Usk, the Oxfordshire Isis. The Sanscrit word ud (collected waters) is also a start ing place for derivations, according to Grimson. Zo it the river Otter owes its name and also thwoe Dors.ect.- shire Woder and the Sussex Adur, a rdhi drench exactly corresponds in origin withtt Camber he Adour ; and now, though wo disap p .n i ly se e , lend people, we must rem ark thatbt huotclifrottingham_ r o E m d e t n h e d o o l e d not derive its came fro m Para d s Welsh verb eddaih (to flow), The Welsh word a. thv It fr stood (water) and shire Idle and the Scotch Eli—ictlzh. e N the Staffordshire D ove, and through itc stream it o sponsor bas t o s t t e t7e td t York: rP ga ve a name t o the town of Dover; signifyin g s imply to move. The root exists In the Basque word ur (water), and the Hungarian er (a brook). Under this one root, Grimson clusters the Radnor snit., an d Worcestershire Arrows, the Sligo Arrow and the SUS3eX Aran, the Yorkshire Arke and the Lencashice Irk. 00e would not have expected that any English river would have a name derived froua the same source as that of the great German Rhine, yet so it ie. Tim Saneerit ri (to flow) is found in the name of the 'Ferman stream, as welt as of th e Worcestershire Rea, the Devousnire Wray, and the Rye, the tributary of the Liffey,—Dickens's " 411 the Year 1"ioun.(1." - Tt ( 4 m in HER MAJESTY. WINDSOR CASTLE, Nov. 19. The Queen, accompanied by their Royal High nesses the Crown Prince and Princess of Prussia and Princess Charlotte, drove out this morning in a carriage and four, attended by Colonel 11. Pau sonby, Equerry in Waiting, on horseback. Count and Countess Bernstorff and the Duke of Newcastle arrived yesterday. The Duke of Newcastle had an audience of the Queen. _ _ The dinner party consisted of their Royal High nesses the Crown Prince and Princess of Prussia and Princess Helena, the Prussian Ambassador and Countess Bernstorff, the Duke of Newcastle, the Hon. Lady BicHulph, and the Ladies and Gentle men in Waiting on the Queen and the Prince and Princess of Prussia. Several of the ladies and gentlemen of the house hold, as well as several of the Cabinet Ministers, have occasionally of late had the honour of dining with her Majesty and some members of the royal family in her Majesty's private apartments. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince of Den mark visited her Majesty to-day. The Prince and Princess of Wales. SANDRINGHAM, Nov. 19. His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, with Major Teesdale, Lord Alfred Hervey, Mr. L. W. Jarvis, and other gentlemen, were out shooting in the Wolferton wood yesterday. Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, at tended by the Countess of Morton, drove out yester day afternoon. The Duke of Devonshire has left Devonshire House, Piccadilly, for Chatsworth, Devonshire. The Duke of Newcastle returned to London yes terday morning from Windsor Castle. The Duke and Duchess of Sutherland are among the English nobility who have been honoured by an invi tation to join the party about to assemble on a visit to their Imperial Majesties the Emperor and Empress of the French at Compiegne. _ His Eminence Cardinal Wiseman arrives this day in London from Broadstairs, where his health, we are glad to announce, has much improved. The Marquis of Bristol is entertaining a family party at Icksworth Park, near Bury St. Edmunds. The Marquis and klarchioness of Normanby and family have lett town for Mulgrave Castle, Whitby. The Earl and Countess Fitzwilliam and Ladies Wentworth Fkzwilliam arrived last week at Wentworth House, Yorkshire, from visiting the family estates in Ire land. The Earl of Shaftesbury and Lady Caroline Neeld have left town for St. Giles's, Dorset. The Countess and Lady Victoria Ashley have gone to join the circle visiting Lord and Lady Egerton of 'Patton, at Tatton. Park, Che shire. Mr. Chichester Fortescue, M.P., and Frances Countess Waldegrave arrived on Tuesday on a visit to their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess d'Aumale, at their seat in Worcestershire. The hon. gentleman and the countess leave to-morrow for iiudbrooke, the countess's seat in Essex. Lord and Lady Blantyre and the Hon. Misses Stuart have arrived at Erskine House, N. 8., to pass the winter. The Countess and Madlle. Stankeiller have re turned to, the Brunswick Hotel, Jermyn-street, from the Isle of Wight. Le Baron Kahn and M. d'Arnheim have left the Brunswick Hotel, Jermyn-street, for Paris. Sir J. Brooke, K.C.8., the Rajah of Sarawak, has arrived at Brown's Hotel, Dover-etreet. THE ALEXANDRA CASE.—The London corre spondent of the Manchester Guardian says :—" I have been sounding my legal acqu iintances about the argu ment in the Alexandra case. I find a very strong feeling among them that the ruling of the Chief Baron will be sup ported by the Court. If so, I should think it extremely unlikely that the matter will be carried further, after such a discussion as it will have received. The general impres sion among lawyers seems to be that the object aimed at by the statute was the prohibition of armed ships sailing under letters of marque of the South American Republics, and. actually equipped and owned by English owners, and that it was never meant to include such transactions as Messrs. Laird have engaged in. The language of the act favours this interpretation, as do the contemporary discussions and history." THE SUPPOSED CONFEDERATE STEAMER PAM PERO.—It is currently rumoured in town that Cap tain Farquhar of her Majesty's ship Hogue, has received a communication from tke Admiralty to detain the screw' steamer Pampero, launched by Messrs J. and G. Thomson, of Glasgow, at the end of last month, if any attempt is made to take her out of the Clyde. The interference of the Government, it is believed, is principally with a view of ascertaining the truth of the allegations made regarding this vessel by the Glasgow Emancipation Society, that the ves.. sal was believed by them to have been constructed for the Confederate Government, and that. like the Alabama, she she was intended to prey upon the merchant shipping of Northern States; that she is fitted with disguised portholc and other requisites for a war ship; and craving the Go vernment to make an investigation into the character, ownership, and destination of the ship. The Pampero is a screw steamer of 1,000 tons, and was said, when launched, to be for London owners.—Scotsman. THE GARDEN ORACLE FOR 1864.—Mr. Shirley Hibberd, in the preparation of this work, ingeniously shows by the growth of plants and the development of flowers the progress of the seasons instead of by saints' days and anni versaries. It is in fact an arrangement of flowers for every day throughoUt the year, mingled With some curious rewc lations as to their history, and secrets as to their successfial cultivation. AUSTRALIA, emphatically the land of the future, has a fauna that may be summed up in the briefest of catalogues. The kangaroo, the wild dog, the opossum, and an animal something between a rat and a rabbit, make up pretty nearly the total of her quadrupeds, and of these none, with the exception perhaps of the kangaroo, can fairly be placed on the game list. Of birds, it is true, there is a somewhat greater variety, but, though headed by the euieu, the array is but paltry compared with the brilliant muster roll of a single square mile of Brazilian forest or Indian jungle. All this, while it detracts much from the interest of the explorer's journal, proves a formidable addition to the peri:s of his route. No food is procurable save that which tie takes with him, and provisions form a very serious item. in the "impedimenta" of an expedition of from 2,000 to 3,000 miles, In Atrica, a single pound of powder represents a fortnight's subsistence. In Australia, powder is as in convertible into game as greenbacks into dollars. The pos sibility of starvation, and the certainty of scurvy from lack of fresh provisions, added to a not unfrequent scarcity of water, even harder to bear than that of food, make up the hardships of a campaign more dangerous, if less fertile in incident, than that of the African hunter.--Aucturday Review. ARRIVAL OF INDIAN SCULPTURE AT WINDSOR CASTLE.—Within the last few days a nu mber of and h of brownish veins, comprise a small temple of the most beau tifullarge wooden cases, containing a quantity of Indian scuip• ture, apparently presented to her Maj est y , have arrived at Windsor Castle. The cases h ave been deposited in the Castle storeyard, where their c ontents are being unpacked and white cleaned. statuary marble, '!l The sculptures oriental constr uction, with delicately perforated p anels, ri i slightly y andtinted carvings, here d which there are it pilasters, and cornices, ornamented withartists , lea . ves and cupola dome, all finely chiselled by eastern and two beau- Atisftihl h n ovi executedye t tc e ntp Oir 1 1 0. rh e l ep hants, furnished with h ousings, bel l s round necks a nd tassels dependi ng f rom their ears mounted 'fiat pedestals, carved i n t h e same mater i a l e elephants, which are magnificent p i ec es of carving, are each about four feet high and four feet iu length. FRIGHTFUL ACCIDENT.—A fatal accident took place on Tuesday evening, about 5 p.m. The scone , of the catastrophe was about a mile from Crewe Station On the London and North - Western Railway. It appears that a large body of labouring men employed in the erection of largo steel works near Crewe had just left work and were proceeding home down the Chester line of rails, when ' goods train passing at the time caused them all to get on t ' ) the up line, and unfortunately at the same moment the Chester train, due at Crewe at 5 10, dashed up, and before) two of the men had time to escape dashed them on the rails, killing them on the spot. The engine pulled up at the station, when on the buffer plauk was found the hat of en ° of the poor men, and on the buffer some hair and blood. ELECTING THE JUDGES.—'tile New York paPe rs , have lately been putting forth advertisements et rival candidates for the election of judges of the Superior Court. At an electioneering meeting Mt. Brady, one of the foremost members of the bar, stated that if certain ima noeuvres should succeed " there will be two persons ad New York, each of willow will own a judge, body an soul." lie stated that in many eases he now has to han d :- back papers brought to him, and say, " I can be you service in this case, for it is to be heard by So-and-se ; e the judge's partner, friend, agent, or huckster, there c o i l :: must employ such a man, between whom and the judg_ t ( , ) . ': a great affection. Employ him, cliauce to iaaintaia ;yew rights jai a court of justice. ' and you will have PNEUMATIC DESPATCH TUBES, - v .-- The Pneumatic Despatch Company are about to lay down an enormous tube for the transmission of 13tters and parcels from their station in Holborn to a station to be established near the General Post-office, in St. Martin's-le-Grand. It appears a tube of that kind already exists between the North-Western district post-office in Eversholt-street, and the Euston terminus of the London and North-Western Railway, and that the letters have been carried between those parts since the beginning of February last. It is now proposed to lay a tube from the Eust( n Station through Woburn-place, Southampton-row, and King •street to Hol born, and thence along llolborn, Skinner , street, and New gate-street to the General Post-office. This tube is to be of cast iron, 4ft. high and 4ft. 6in. wide internally. At the city boundary it will be Mt. 6in, deep, and at Hatton garden 18ft. Gin., from which point its depth decreases. This tube will pass over the Fleet sewer at a depth of 6ft , and then under the London, Chatham, and Des er Railway. At the west end of Newgate- street it will be 25ft. deep, and at the east end lift.; its mean depth in St. Martin's-le- Grand being 12;t, When comple`ed, the transmission of all letters in bulk between the General Post-office and North Western Railway will be effected by its agency, as will also large parcels of goods. An arrangement has been made with Messrs. Pickford to forward parcels from their depot in Gresham-street to the North Western Railway, and an ex tension of the tube into their premises is ultimately con templated. This line of tubing, moreover, is understood to be but the commencement of a system which is to bo eventually extended to the various metropolitan railway stations, and probably to connect all the district post-offices in London. The Pneumatic Despatch Company leave powers under their Act to lay down tubes within the city, subjec to certain control or direction on the part of the Commis sioners of Sewers. Mr. Haywood, the engineer to the com mission, has just presented a report to them on the subject, from which these particulars have been gleaned. He states that, assuming the pneumatic system to work satisfactorily, it will probably become a valuable auxiliary to the commerce of the city, and be the means of freeing the streets of much goods traffic. But, he says, the laying of the proposed tube through the crowded streets of the city will cause the greatest public inconvenience, for its size will be that of a large sewer, audits depth must be greater than that of the street sewers, inasmuch as it cannot be allowed to interfere with the house drains. Besides, the preeent occupation of the surface by gas. water, and telegraph pipes will, he apprehends, preclude the possibility of the tube being laid at a lees depth, The incon • veniente Will be most felt in Nevsgate‘street, for while the work is in progress the traffic there could hardly be allowed to pass in both directions; and this remark may, perhaps, apply to Skinner-street. Such, however, are the conditions of the it Mu thoroughfares in and surrounding the city that Mr. Haywood is unable to suggest any other line through which the company could lay its tube in lieu of H olborn, so as to lessen the public inconvenience in that street while the work is in progress. The company, he says, might lay a tine through Giltepur-street, Smithfield, and Little Britain, or else up Snow-hill and King-street into Smithfield, and thence by Little Britain to the Post-office, thus avoiding Skinner -street and Newgate-street, but there are many local difficulties to contend with in that route. He suggests, as another alternative, that permission might possibly be obtained to lay it through Christ's Hospital, tee plan of the property of that institution being such that the tube might enter it at Giltspur-street and pass direct through the open sp ices to King Edward-street and Angel street, and thence to the Post-office area in St. Martin's-le- Grand. The company, however, could only obtain by negotiation the privilege to do that, for it has no power to enter or obtain private property compulsorily, the Legisla ture manifestly contemplating that these tubes should be laid in the public streets. He aids that when the tube is once laid, many years may elapse before it would require to be touched for repairs, and that all repairs may be made from the inside of the tube. He recommends the Commis sion of Sewers to request the company to reconsider the line from the Fleet Valley to the Post-office, and in the meantime to continue its dissent to the line proposed by them. GOVERNMENT EMIGRATION,—The Government emigration ship Shackamaxon, 989 tons, Captain Teuton, belonging to Messrs. Joseph Heap and Sons, Liverpool, which sailed from the Mersey on the 12th of May last, arrived at Sydney, New South Wales, on the 3d of September, having on board 81 married people, 109 single men, 93 single women, 46 boys and 36 girls be tween 1 and 12 years of age, and 11 infants, in all 381 souls, equal to 329 statute adults, under the care of Mr. Thomas Slater, surgeon superintendent, assisted by Miss Elias Barker, matron. Three births and eight deaths took place on the voyage. The Southern Ocean, Captain Davys, belonging to Messrs. Gibbs, Bright, and Co., which also sailed trom Liverpool on the 19th of May, arrived at Mel bourne, Vi•,toria, on the 22d o f A ugus t, w i t h a num b er Lancashi re operat i ves, comprising 53 married couples, 4 single ef le men, 3 singl e women , 44 c hild ren b etween 1 an d 12 age, and 8 inf an t s , i n a ll 175 sou l s , equa l to 145 tut adults. Five infants died on the passage. exception of 59 SINCp. ~, ~, - -,IIE COMMENCEMENT OF THE FREE PUBLIC LlLun c y _ ' volumes of Looks LIVERPOOL, more than '2,400,000 ; 2I l ave been issued, and returned, with the vfction ; the cost of re s t a : the pur:oiners prosecuted to con and recovered, and o f 'l7,veai.d Library _oo. order ther to j p o r i e n s e:lta Madame time. the remaining 38 volumes has represents the total logs of rb n fo o ho t ek e as x vf c er e ro 3 et cl iaise : u l o , pe A GERMAN TENOR Or :401,690 volumes per day. 11 .EPUTE.—Dr. ouoz is about to visit England in Lind-Goldschn,iat on a tour which 5 has commenced in the Et-oviacee... eviinso9hitnnl'eug:iihw::suepahave been successfully traced FRANCE. The Legislative Body sat yesterday, Duke de Morny in the chair. A letter was read from M. Havin announcing that having been elected in the department of the Seine and hi that of the Manche) he had decided on sitting for this last. The verifica tion of powers was then resumed. and on the election of M. Roy de Loulay in the Charente-Inferieure, observations were made by M. Kolb-Bernard, M. Riche, the Marquis d'Andelarre, and M. Lubo nis, the reporter, after which the return was de. dared to be valid. The same result was arrived at for the election of M. Abbatucci in Corsica. On the election of M. Bravhy in the Gard, the report of the bureau concluded in favour of annulling the return, but at the request of that gentleman the discussion was adjourned. "We have good news," says the Gazette de France, " to announce to the friends of Count de Christen; the end of his captivity has at length arrived. We know from a sure source, and are authorised to state, that his pardon is signed. We should certainly have preferred justice rather than pardon, the perfect knowledge of the facts having enabled us to affirm th at our coun t ryman an d friend has been unjustly condemned ; in certain was, however, and this is one, it will not do to be over nice about words." The Moniteur publishes a decree convoking the departmental commission which performs the functions of Council-General of the Seine, for their ordinary session, on the 30th inst., and to close on the 14th December. The bureau will be com pcs?d as follows :—President—M. Dumas, Sena tor; Vice-Presidents—M. Ferdinand Barrot, Sena tor, and M. Chain d'Eit-Ange, Vice-President of the Council of State ; Secretary—M. Langlais, Councillor of State ; and Vice-Secretaries—M. Ernest Moreau and M. Maes. The Minister of Foreign Afflirs, who is comprised in the second series of guests at Compiegne, left yesterday for that residence with Mine. Drouyn de Lhuys. BOURSE, Nov. 19.—The market has lost some of the firmness it evinced yesterday, and the limited business done shows a decline. Threes, for the. Account, are now heavy at 67f. 15c. Mobilier have receded to 1,077 f. 50c. The Railway Market re mains firm at previous quotations. The market closed as follows : 41 per Cents. 95 15 Do. end month -- 3 per Cents Do. end month 67 20 Credit Mobilier 1080 Do. end month 1080 Bank Shares 3350 Credit 1. ander 1267 50 Roman --- Italian Loan 72 Do. end month 7l 50 New ditto ...... 71 55 Do. end month — Russian Austrian Spani.,,h Threes.,, — Home Debt .. 5l 25 Deferred RAYS. Cash. Account. RAIL' 972 50 .. 977 50 Orleans Northern New ditto — -- Lyons awl Mediterranean 9.53 75 .. 95 5 Ne w ditto Geneva 498 75 • -- Southern 690 .. 691 25 Western Eastern Sardinian Austrian Lon.bard North of Spain Saragossa — .. 627 50 Ditto to Barcelona .... 321 25 .. 980 - .. 980 - Gallant Act of an Officer of H.M.S. Pelorus. On Wednesday morning, while the Pelorus, 21, screw corvette, Capt. H. Boys, was proceeding from the Hamoaze to the Government anchorage in the Sound, one of her officers promptly availed himself of an opportunity of rescuing a seaman that fell overboard. The vessel had arrived about halfway between Drake's Island and the Breakwater, and under steam was go i ng a t f u ll s p ee d at the time of the accident. Sh e h a d j us t co ncluded firing a salute, and a party of men were employed in pre paring the port boat boom for swinging, when one of them, an ordinary seaman, named Haw kins, slipped his hold and fell over the side. An alarm was immediately raised, when Sub Lieutenant Moncreiff, who was on deck, rushed into the after port hammock netting, and springing overboard reached Hawkins in a few strokes, the gallant officer being an expert and powerful swim mer. He had not delayed to divest himself of the thick coat he was wearing, nor had even taken oft his gloves, but supported the seaman with perfect case until the arrival of further help. The vessel's boats were being towed astern with their crews in them, and their tow ropes being instantly cast adrift, they proceeded to render assistance. Lieu tenant Moncrieff and Hawkins were picked up by the captain's galley and conveyed on board nothing the worse for the accident beyond the ducking, which in the lieutenant's case had the inconvenience of saturating his uni form and injuring by the water a valuable watch which he was wearing. This gallant act, which was witnessed by most of the officers and crew, needs no comment to point out its highly merit° floes character. It is to he hoped that it will be noticed by the Admiralty in a substantial way, Another officer of the ship, who saw Hawkins fall overboard, was about to spring after him, but stayed for a second to divest himself of his watch, and before he had time to put his laudable intention into practice Lieutenant Moncrieff' had forestalled him. The Pelorus will go cut to-day to try her speed at the measured mile, and it is probable she will leave on Saturday nest for her station, the East Indies and China.—Western Morning News of yesterday. SALE OF TILE GREAT EAST ERN STEAMSHIP.— On the 1 ttl.l of January next Messrs. Cunard, Wilson, and Co., of Liverpool, will offer the Great Eastern for sale by auction by order of the mo.‘tfsagees, bills Mar a v e busi ddeE afrii 'flier be e , prel Bat Per Chi £2] Ret Wei 4.,[1 1 Lan I A(1 Zt( PQ i