The Sun. — London, England, 1863-07-08 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT HOUSE OF LORDS—Last Evening. The Loun CHLNCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack at eve o'clock. PUBLIC BUSINESS. The Wakefield and Aberford Road—the West Midland Railway—the Bradford, Wakefield, and Leeds Railway (Amendments)—and the Bristol and North Somerset Rail way (Amendments) Bills were read a third time and passed. AFFAIRS OF GREECE. The Marquis of NORMANBY said, as general anarchy was said to prevail in Athens, it was desirable to have the deliberate opinion of our own Minister formed on the spot. He therefore wished to know whether there would be any objection to produce any despatch that might have been received from Mr. Scarlett relating to the matter. Earl RUSSELL said he would look over the despatches, and see if he could give the noble marquis the information he required. SHEEP AND CATTLE (SCOTLAND): BILL. This bill passed through committee. STATUTE LAW REVISION BILL. The LORD CHANCELLOR moved the second reading of this bill, the object of which was to remove a large num ber of acts from the statute book which had become altoge ther obsolete. This was a case in which the greatest con fidence should be placed in those who drew up this ponder ous bill, and he could assure their lordships that he and his auxiliaries had devoted their best attention to the measure to insure its accuracy. The bill was of a similar nature to that introduced by the late Lord Campbell, and which had been found to produce the most satisfactory results. Lord ST. LEONARDS supported the second reading of the bill, but, while he did so, he did not coincide with the idea thrown out by the Lord Chancellor, which proposed the constitution of a body of men to consolidate the de cisions of the judges, which would in some respects be placing a class of persons above their lordships' house. Lord BROUGHAM also assented to the second read ing. He said their lordships must take the bill on trust, as it would be totally impossible for any committee to inquire into its provisions with any good effect, as the bill occupied nearly 200 pages, each page dealing with about 20 matters, so that 4,000 subjects were dealt with. Lord CRANWORTH said there were only 80 or 90 years of the statute book that would require revision if the bill passed. When the entire statutes were revised, a consoli dation of the statute law must follow. Lord CHELMSFORD suggested that the column . of reasons for the omission of the several statutes repealed in this bill would be reta ined for the guidance of the Commons, when the bill came before them. The LORD CHANCELLOR would act on this sug gestion, on the understanding that the omission of this column, if it wore rejected in the Commons, would not prove fatal to the bill. With regard to the observations re specting the codification of the decisions of the judges, he begged to appeal from Lord St. Leaner& to Sir Edward Sugden, who had himself been the great oodifier of the jndgments pronounced on the bench. The bill was read a second time. PUBLIC WORKS (MANUFACTURING DIS TRICTS) BILL. On the motion for going into committee on this bill, The Earl of DERBY said he did not rise to object to the bill, inasmuch as be considered it was founded on a correct principle, and was likely to afford considerable relief to the distressed districts, but to call attention to the satisfactory report issued by the Central Relief Coramittes through the hon. secretary, Mr. Maclure, so late as yesterday. This report showed a considerable increase of employment. Forty-seven local committees had suspended operations. In the districts in which these committees acted there were 25,690 working full time, and 16,806 on short time, out of 55,362 operatives in the districts. The report also showed .that 234,642 operatives were at full work in the mills in the cotton districts, against 192,527 who were at full work in the last week of April; 125,097 on short time, against 129,741 last 'April ; and 180,729 out.of work against 215,512 last April. Now, though this report showed a reduction in the numbers out of employment of about 40,000 persons since April last, a large portion of the population were still out of employ ment, it afforded grounds for considerable apprehension with respect to the coming winter. He might also state the efforts made to relieve the distress in Lancashire. Ex cluding private charity, which had not been known to the public, and including the sum of £150,000, which had been expended in the purchase of clothing and food, which was relief given in kind, the amount of subscriptions for the relief of the distress was no less than £1,900,000. (Hear, hear.) He might now state the scale on which the dis tress was and is still relieved, in order that their lordships might not run away with the idea that the sum in hand was sufficient, or more than sufficient to meet the distress. He had reason to believe that, exclusive of the sum of £BO,OOO in the hands of the Mansion House Committee, there still remained available for the purposes of the Central Relief Committee, including the sum promised but not yet paid in, something like £600,000. At the same time, the committee considered it an advantage that the amount expended by way of relief had been reduced from £90,000 to £53,000 a month. (Hear.) If, then., the rate:of relief remained at £53,000 a month, the amount in hand would supply the demand for twelve months to come. But at the end of that time the funds would be exhausted, and they could not expect the country to make such an effort as last year, and the means of the operatives were now at a low point ; moreover, they must not take £53,000 as the measure of what would be required, for there was a large amount of outdoor labour of a tem porary nature, and there were many mills at work that were not likely to continue during the winter. Therefore the greatest possible economy must be observed in hus banding their resources for the coming winter; for the £600,000 would hardly be equal to meet the demands on it that would arise. Consequently every bill which, like the present, would enable the districts to engage - in works EihielOyould_n_ltilnately.become profitable,. and which would avoid the serious difficulty the committee had in find ing- occupation for those who wished relief, was one which, under the present circumstances, ought to be commended. He entirely concurred on the principle on which it was founded, After a few words from Earl GRANVILLE, The house went into Committee. On clause 13, The Earl of DERBY pointed out that the words defining the owners whose consent must be obtained before the works could be carried out did not include life interests. Earl GRANVILLE said be would attend to this objec tion. when the report came up. The bill passed th roug h committee. • PORT ERIN HARBOUR (ISLE OF MAN) BILL. This bill was read a second time. PIERS AND HARBOURS ORDERS CONFIR. MATION. This bill was read a second time. THAMES EMBANKMENT (SOUTH SIDE) BILL. This bill passed through committee. The Militia Ballots Suspension Bill and the Walmer - Vestry Bill were read a second time. PASSENGERS' ACT AMENDMENT BILL. This bill passed through COmmftteet The Oaths Relief in -Criminal Proceedings (Scotland) Bill and the Mutiny (East India) Act Repeal Bill were read a third time and passed. The house then adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS—Last Evening. The SPEAKER took the chair at a quarter past 12 o'clock , FORTIFICATIONS. Mr. MASSEY brought up the report of the committee empowering the bringing in of this bill. FISHERIES (IRELAND) BILL. The house went into committee on this bill. The consideration of the clauses occupied the remainder of the sitting. The house resumed at six o'clock. FORTIFICATIONS. Mr. KNATCHBULL-HUGESSEN brought in the Fortifications Bill, which was read a first time. THE PATRIOTIC FUND. Mr. J. A. SMITH postponed his motion for a select com mittee to inquire into the past management and present con dition of the Patriotic Fund, without naming a day when he would bring it on. He had been informed that the Royal commissioners were about to hold a meeting and inquire into the matter which he intended to bring before the house. In consequence of that, he postponed his motion, but he by no means pledged himself to wait till the Royal commis sioners had investigated the matter and reported. ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH THROUGH PERSIA. Colonel SYK ES asked the Under -Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether there was a new convention for the construction of the electric telegraph through Persia, drawn out by Mr. Eastwich, charge d'affaires at Teheran, on Dec. 17, 1862, and whether there would be any objection to lay a copy of the same upon the table of the house. Mr. LAYARD said there was a new convention, but it was not signed; there would be no objection to lay it on the table of the house when it was signed. SALE OF FORESTAL RIGHTS OF THE CROWN. Mr. TORRENS asked the Secretary to w hether the consent of her Majesty, signified in writing under the Royal sign manual, in conformance with section 5 of cap. 56 of the Act 16th and 17th Vic., had been ob tained for the sale of the forestal rights of the Crown over the southern and the northern portions of the Forest of Epping, which were authorised to be sold by the two Trea sury warrants particularised in page 122 of Appendix to the Report from the Select Committee on Royal Forests, dated June 9, 1863; and, if such written consent had been ob tained, whether there would be any objection to laying it upon the table of the house. Mr. PEEL said it was necessary only in disputed cases. Here the right was recognised and undisputed, and the Treasury warrants were sufficient for the purpose. THE GODAVERY RIVER. Mr. J. B. SMITH asked the Secretary of State for India, whether he had received any communications respecting tttPregress of the opening out of the Riv er Godavery since e dat a of last published correspondence laid beforeFarlia ment, viz., May 2, 1862; and, if so. whether he would lay the same upon the table of the house. - -•- Sir C. WOOD said no report had been receive.: F'nce the last published correspondence. THE AUGMENTATION OF BENEFIC H S BILL, In answer to Mr. HADFIELD, Sir G. GREY-said the second reading o' t f Augmenta tion of Benefices Bill would be moved on T (a,rsday. MR. ROEBUCK AND THE EMPEROR OF THE FRENCH. Mr. S. BEAUMONT—who had the following question on the paper—To ask the hon. member for Sheffield whether the conference in the palace of Fontainebleau, which took place on Tuesday, the 30th of June, was recorded by any memorandum made on the same or the following day; and, if so, to ask the hon. member and the hon, member for Sunderland, whether (having regard to the assertion in re ference to that conference with the French Government had thought fit to insert in the Id oniteur), they would have any objection to lay it upon the table of the house—said he had received a private communication;from the hon. member for Sheffield, in which he informed him he would not be able to be down to the house that evening to answer the question, but that all the evidence in his hands upon the subject would be adduced on the future discussion of his motion. OFFICE OF WORKS. Mr. B. COCHRANE moved the following resolution : " That the large sums annually voted for public buildings and improvements in the metropolis are not expended in a satisfactory manner, and that, with a view to the effi ciency of the Office of Works, it should be constituted on a different basis." He said the many occasions the sub ject had been before the house showed that, so far from its being a reason why he should not make the above motion, it was a proof of its necessity. It was very hard to charge upon that house the evils of the errors which they found in the architecture of the metropolis, about which but one opinion prevailed. Every one admitted that the public money was spent in as improper manner, and he had brought forward this motion to enable the Government, if it was carried, as he hoped it would be, to consider the matter during the recess, and modify the Office of Works so as to meet the requirements and necessities of the metropo lis. He would begin his complaint with Burlington House. That property was purchased by the Government in 1852, for £160,000. In 1855, and every year since, her Majesty's Government had been asked what they intended to de with it, and it was but the other night that the present First Commissioner of Works made a joke about it. The Chan cellor of the Exchequer also told them on a recent occasion that they must wait until they had come to a decision about the Kensington Exhibition building, and then he would tell them what was to be done with Burlington House. They could all tell what had been dons with it since 1855, and now it was turned into a kind of foraging berth for volun teers to go through their manceuvres, and throw up embank ments on a small scale. The Geological and two or three other Societies had taken possession of the building, and the property was entirely lost to the country. The National Gallery and the Royal Academy were still together, after repeated committees had reported in favour of their separation In 1861 a sum of between £16,000 and £17,000 was voted to put the building in a state to meet the requirements of both, and now after all they were to be divided. All these unsatis factory proceedings arose frOm the constant change of the First Commissioner of Works—the average period of his holding office being two years only—who invariably on taking office threw over what had been done by his predecessor. A balance of between £26,000 and £30,000 was left from the vote for the Duke of Wellington's funeral, with which it was intended to erect a monument to his memery in St, Paul's Cathedral. That had not been done, and he had no idea of what had become of the money. He was not blam ing one particular Commissioner of Works, but only the system, feeling that every one of them had been anxious to discharge the duty of the office. In IS3B a committee re ported the Foreign•office as unsafe; yet, up to this time nothing had been done towards erecting a new one. The estimate for the Houses of Parliament was £700,000, but there had been upwards of three millions spent on them, and they were considered by many hon. members a disgrace to the country Buckinghani Palace was estimated at £240,000, but £1,400,000 had been expended upon it. The Record-office was in an incomplete state, and the only thing that made the War-office in Pall-mall reconcileable was the pleasant view the chief officials had on to the park, which they did not like to lose. (Laughter.) He mentioned a cir cumstance in connection with the erection of a floating or permanent light for the shipping of Ceylon, as a proof of how public money was spent. In 1826 a representation was made that a floating light should be placed on Bass's Rock, Ceylon ; and in 1848, the Government having made up their mind that something should be done, wrote to Ceylon for advice, and in 1854 they got a report, stating that a floating light was impracticable, and that it should be a permanent one. In that year a vote for £1,500 was taken for its erec tion; and in 1855 £3OOO more; and in 1856 £17,000 more, with £6,000 for steamers to carry over the materials. In 1857 £B,OOO more were voted ; in 1858 £10,000; in 1859 £10,000; making, together, £54,000 on the £1,500 estimate. (Hear.) The lighthouse had not been put up, and was, be believed, now lying on the wharf at Point de Galle, because in 1861 it was found a permanent lighthouse could not be erected, but that a floating light must be stationed over the place where the light was required. (Hear, hear.) In 1860 a vote of £B,OOO was taken for the floating light; in 1862 £2,000 ; and this year they had voted £B,OOO ; making alto gether very nearly £BO,OOO. And that was -the way they trifled with public money. (Hear, hear.) Since the last time he brought the subject before the house he had taken a ride with his right hon. friend the First Commissioner of Works to the Serpentine, but the only thing hecould admire there were the water-lilies. The water was a green colour, and a jet had been put up 8 feet high on the monolith, so that the water could not flow out of it. Why was it that the; land at Carlton-terrace had been sold for so small a price as £30,000 per acre, when they had it upon the authority of the noble lord at the head of the Government that land else where in the metropolis sold for £60,000 per acre ? Why, also, was the aspect of the metropolis, as regarded its public buildings, so inferior to that of all other capitals ? These failures were all due to the bad organisation of the Office of Works. But were they to go on for ever in that way ? Nearly £1,000,000 was expended every year upon public works, and since 1847 or 1848 something like £3,000,000 had been spent in connection with science and art. It was not for him to say what should be done; still he might point out that if the department were worked by a perma nent commission of able men, they never would have wit nessed the scene of the other night, for they would have known what they wanted. His principal complaint was that the office had not authority enough. Mr. FERRAND aeconded the motion. Mr. COWPER had no doubt that many of our public buildings must be most offensive to a person of such well re cognised taste as his hon. friend. At the same time he could have wished his hon. friend had taken the trouble to inquire into the causes of this evil. He thought he could show that in the instances quoted the Office of Works were in no way responsible. It was true that Burlington House was pur chased fora sum of £140,000 ; that instead of being no use to the public, the contrary was the fact ; for it had been of the very greatest use. Of late years it had been occupied by a number of the learned societies—by the Royal Society, the University of London, and the Linnahan. Society ; while the public were thereby enabled to obtain much needful accom modation at Somerset House. He quite agreed that the garden of Burlington House might serve for the erection of a most splendid picture-gallery; but unfortunately the Office of Works could not have their own way in the matter, and it certainly was not owing to them that the site had not been availed of for the purpose. The National Gallery was a building of which they had no reason to be proud ; but then the Office of Works had had nothing to do with its erection, lThweiliblinamgetelaywith spend m th e e re G t o h v an ernm sz z o t ooo p f u th e e n h d t ay e , who were unwilling building, an d that was a sum entirely too small for an edifi ce to be erected in such a situation. And it was entirely owing it was solds, as Work of Lord Monteagle, who was the Ch ance ll or of toth the Exchequer xecffrthoeqsuer of the day, that stone was made to take th e place of stucco in the building, P s a uc c h e a c s ar it ri w ed as' out under Neither der were the works at B uckingham the control of the departrionenst of la th . Theye ev Sovereign a the executed by Mr. Nash under the directions sale of land'at Carlton-terrace, the errace, Treasury. Then, as to *. that did not concern the Office of by the Commissioners of Land Revenue. Nor could he ac knowledge them responsible for the The waters of the Serpentine were state of the Serpentine. shallow, and therefore nd up for the tainly did not consider it his duty to standup it was impossible to prevent the growth of weeds. He cer ny of their public artifi cial features of the metropolis. At the same time . it was . impossible to deny that with respect to ma buildings they might well be proud. There was Somerset House — than which he did not know a handsomer building—the C ustom House, the Post Office, and the Museum of Geology. All these were plain, su bstantial, well-arranged, and economical buildings, an d ver y suit able for their sev era l purposes. In regard to P u bli c Im provements, he thought th e conduct of t h e d e partment had been very satisfactory ; in proof of which he might refer to such great improvements as the forma tion of New Oxford-street, the projection of the new street from Blackfriars to the Mansion-house, and the Thames embankment scheme. The right hon. gentleman having traced the history of the department, said that until 1832 it might be said to be quite a subordinate department. In that year, however, the office was for the first time placed under a Minister of the Crown, who was assisted by a board ; and so the deparment was constituted until the year 1851, when the existing constitution was adopted. The office had charge of 120 buildings in England, 24 in Scotland, 17 parks and gardens, 80 post-offices, and 41 probate registries; and he ventured to say there was no department under the Crown the business of which was more efficiently conducted. But his hon. friend complained of the want of permanency about it; well, the secret ary Mr. Austin was permanent, a n d a most efficient public servant too ; there was a permanent collector, and several permanent surveyors and assistant surveyors, and 15 clerks of works. Moreover, the depart ment was not dependent uprn the official servants con nected with the office, for, as occasion required, they had recourse to the highest professional talent outside. As architects, they had recourse to Mr. Gilbert Scott and Mr. Edward Barry, to Mr. Fowler as an engineer; and on the subject of landscape gardening they received notice from Mr. John Leslie. When it became necessary to take counsel with respect to the decay of the stone used for the 'louses of Parliament, they called in Mr. Farraday and Sir THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAX ,EVENING, JULY 8, 1863, Murchison ; and on other subjects they took the °pia:10 11 of Professor Airey and Dr: Hoffman. He quite admitted that if there was any large extension in the works carried on that the department would not be equal to its duties, but the difficulty must not be met by placing a permanent commissioner at the head of the office, but by increasing the number of professional men at its disposal. And no doubt before long such an addition would have to be made. The right hon. gentleman then proceeded to consider the suggestions made by the hon. member, and declared that either the appointment of a permanent head of the department, or of a board to assist the chief . commissioner, would be decidedly retrograde legiflation. The right hon. gentleman co ncluded by .reminding the house that, unlike other departments, the Office of Works was simply an office of exp enditure, and, therefore, that it ought to be directly responsible to Parliament. He en tirely denied that it had been shown that there was any flaw in the constitution as it had existed since the year 1851. The house then divided — For the motion A ga inst it Majority against — 92 CHURCH RATES. Lord A. CHURCHILL asked leave to introduce a bill for the amendment of the law with respect to church rates. The bill consisted of two clauses, and it provided that for the future no penalties should be recoverable for the non payment of church rates. The machinery for making rates would remain, but the bill repealed all power of levying a distress if payment was refused, no matter what the motive. Of course it was impossible that the bill could be passed into law at that advanced period of the session; but his object was to have the proposal considered during the recess. Mr. J. EWART seconded the motion. Mr. NEWDEGATE must withhold his assent from the principle of the bill ; and he did not think the noble lord had much chance of success. Sir G. GREY said that, in allowing the bill to be intro duced no one would be deemed to have assented to its prin ciple. Subject to the understanding that it was to stand over for consideration during the recess, there was no objec tion to its introduction. Leave was accordingly given to introduce the bill. THE NAWAB OF THE CARNATIC. Sir F. KELLY rose to move for a select committee to inquire into the claims of his Highness Azeem Jah to the title and dignity of Nawab of the Carnatic; and otherwise in respect of a treaty entered into between his highness's father, Azeem-ul-Dowlah and the East India Company, and the circumstances attending the same, The hon. and learned gentleman recounted at some length the particulars of the arrangements entered into between Azeem-ul-Dow- . lah and the East India Comp an y, th e p r i nc ip a l con diti on o f which was the guaranteeing to the prince and his successors the absolute sovereignty of the Carnatic; while, on the other hand, the Eaet India Company were to manage the civil and military administration, and receive the revenues of the country, with the exception of one-fifth (amounting to £120,000 a year), which was to be appropriated to the family of the prince. The Lion. and learned gentleman com plained of the contemptuous silence with which the present claimant had been treated ; for he had been told that he had lost all right of succession to the Carnatic, that the treaty had caesed with the life of his father; but that if he was willing to become a subject a pension would be granted to him of £lO,OOO a year. The prince, whose cause he had un. dertaken to advocate, indignantly refused this insulting offer, and what he now asked was that a committee should be appointed to inquire into the justice of his claim. Of all the princes of India none were more scrupulously faithful to the British Crown than the Nawabs of the Carnatic. The sovereign rights of the family were also recognised by the native princes of India, and specified in numerous treaties, and he therefore appealed to that sense of justice and honour which always resided in that house, and which was never absent from its deliberations, to institute a searching in quiry into the claims of the prince, and grant him the re dress to which he was entitled. Mr. SMOLLE "IT seconded the motion, and was proceed ing to address the house, when An How. MEMBER noticed that there were not 40 mem bers present. The house therefore adjourned at 25 minutes before nine o'clock. Mr. Davey has paired with Mr. Way for the remainder of the session. HER MAJESTY'S SHIP CONSTANCE. A competition has commenced between three of onr prin cipal steam engine manufacturers. In order as far as pos sible to put all the competitors on equal terms, the Lords of the Admiralty selected three frigates of the same model, built at Pembroke, as nearly as possible from the same lines as those of Sir Wm. Symonds, with similar midship sections, and having about an equal draught of water. The Arethusa, 35 guns, 3,141 tons, at Sheerness, has been sup plied with engines by Messrs. John Penn and Son—the Octavia, 39 guns, 3,161 tons, at Portsmouth, has received hers from Messrs. Maudslay—and the Constance, 39 guns, 3,213 tons, at Devonport, is fitted by Messrs. Randolph, Elder, and Co., of Glasgow. The average consumption of coal in the Royal Navy is estimated at the present time as between 31b to 41b. por indicated horse power ; and one of the main objects of the competitive trials is 0 en deavour to prove the possibility of reducing the consump tion to a little over 21bs. To gain this saving of fuel it was necessary to make the engines of the Constance heavier, larger, and consequently more expansive than those of corresponding power on board other ships. It is, how ever, but justice to the manufacturers to state that much of the weight is to be attributed to a desire to retain the means of reverting to the present mode of working, should the new mode be found unsuccessful. In consequence of this desire the boileib fitted to this ship are much larger than are re quisite for her new engines. • , The Constance as originally constructed sat on the water gracefully, and was ranked among the fastest frigates in the service. Sir Baldwin Walker carried his flag on board her when captain on the Pacific station. She was recently lengthened at Devonport to receive the screw, and her ap pearance is, if anything, improved by the alteration. The frigate carried originally 50 guns, and is pierced for that number now ; in the .Navy List she is down for 39 guns, but it is probable that owing to the altered condition of our armament she will carry only 36; they will, however, be as heavy as a ship of her class can sustain. Above GOft. have been added to her midship section, and 13ft. aft to adapt her for the reception of the propeller. Her dimensions now are —length, 252 ft.; over all, 286 ft. ; and extreme breadth, 52ft. , tonnage, 3,142 tong. The masts are not yet stepped. Her draught, with 40 tons of coal, and 70 tons of water, is 17ft. forward, and 20ft. 9in. aft. The builders of the engine have supplied her with a pair of what are termed double cylinders, or compound engines of 500 horse power combined, which are bedded in a block of solid cast-iron weighing 50 tons. Well up on each side of the engine room she is fitted with three cylinders, the pistons from which work directly on the crank shaft. There are three cranks, each of which receives two connecting rods. The middle cylinders are high pressure, the other four are low pressure expanding cylinders. The diameter of the middle cylinder is 60 inches, and the others 78 inches. The ac tion of the surface condensers can, if required, be changed while the engines are in motion, and the engines can be worked in the ordinary way by sea-injection. When all are in action, the steam is expanded partially in the high pressure cylinders, and from them still further into the low pressure cylinders, down to a pressure of about 101 b. below the atmosphere before it escapes into the condensers. Such a degree of expansion is difficult to obtain practically with any other class of engines in consequence of the unequal action of the steam in the cylinders. The condensers are surface condensers; each contains 1,308 tubes, through which the condensing water is drawn by means of two cir• culattng pumps. The two condensers contain 2,616 tubes, the external surface of which, for condensation, is 5,848 square feet, being rather more than 11 . 5 square feet per nominal horse power. The tubes of the condensers are packed so that when they require cleaning they can be easily removed and replaced ; each tube is lift. sin. long. The total length of the 2,616 tubes is over 51 miles. The object of the surface condensers is to separate the condensed steam from the cold water used to condense it, so as to se cure a supply of fresh distilled water with which to feed the boilers, instead of using sea water, which is the only re source when surface condensers are not applied. This is an important means for diminishing the consumption of fuel. By this mode the necessity for blowing off when sea water is used is avoided, and the steam power economised. Ac cording to recent arrangements the system of jacketing is extended on board the Constance, as in many other newly supplied ships. The sides and ends of all the cylinders are jacketed with steam and well cased with staves of mahogany, which firmly enclose a covering of felt. The Constance has four boilers, partially superheating, with six furnaces to each boiler. The fire-grate surfac e is about 57 square feet per nominal horse Sower. The s . roke of the engines is 3n. Sin. The diameter of the propeller shaft is , its length from the sternmost coupling t o th e thrust, block 86ft , and from the thrust block to the engine, 13ft. lli n, The length. of the boss of the screw, one of Griffith's double-bladed, is Oft. Gin. ; diameter of screw, 18ft. ; and pitch, 271 feet. The weigtit of the engines is 190 tons, of the boilers 160 tons, and of the water in the boilers 70 tons. The stowage for coal is 260 tons; the consumption of coal by ordinary engine s would be from 70 to 80 tons per day • by the new engine s daily will is expected that about 50 tons d • ly h th is greater ma chinery of the Constance ter than that whi c h wou l d will be sufficient. Although the space occupied by the be required for some eng ines, yet tho aggregate sp ace for trials n the North Basin, i n of her co a l s t owage. At the i l e ss, in consequence of the dec rease machinery and coal is Keyham steamyard, The engines of the revolutions were 36 per minute. the management Con stance are started by two steam donkeys, with a pressure of steam of 251 b., the advantag e of help3,,c It proves a very ready and rapid method of reversing, . of which, while it reduces the labour of the engineers, ie, however, doubtful, as in all similar cases, whether the counter balanced by the introduction of more machinery, the com plications of which alwa involve additional risk y s As the Con difficifity h as b een of this kind is not occasionally Constance, like the Arethusa and Octavia, was not built originally for the reception of steam machinery, consi derablegines. It is in consequence of the sharpness of the frigate's floor that the three experienced in placing her cylindersen each aide are carried well up in the they act diagonally at an angle of 45 d eg. on the propellern shaft; through this arrangem en t th e eng i ne o which is 73 feet long, has the appea rance o f b e i ng cro wded ; in fact, it is so much filled with mac hi nery as to be what is by courtesy termed rather c on fi ne d , an inconve nience which will probably be felt most severe l y when the ship is in a warm latitude and the engines are requ i ted to be r , wgs ; win used there. It is but fair this evil should be charged against the construction of the frigate and not of her engines. The authorities at Keyham are about to adopt the system of open bulkheads, by grating, so as to lead all the ventilation to the warmest part of the ship—the engine room. While the position of the cy tinders in the wings crowds the engine room, it will be advantageous to the sailing qualities of the ship, by counterbalancing in some degree the weight of the engines in her heel. All the working parts of the engines are in view and easily accessible by the engineer. The ladder holes to this room are most inconveniently small, a very awkward defect, which might be easily rectified. Messrs. Randolph and Co. have fitted their compound or double cylinder engines to many merchant steamships, among others to the Peru, with enginesof 350-horse power, and the Talka, X6O, and ten others, the property of the Pacific Steam Navigation Company. The principle has never been tested before in the Royal Navy. On Monday morning the Constance left the Hamoaze, under charge of Captain William Edmonstone, C. 8., the new chief of the steam reserve at Devonport, wbo was ac companied by Commander Risk, of the Indus, and Mr, Dinnen, inspector of machinery afloat, and by Mr. Miller, chief engineer of the steam factory ; Mr. Steil, his assistant ; and Mr. Saunders, of the shipwrights' department at Key ham. Messrs. Randolph and Davidson, the contractors, were also on board. In consequence of the strength of the easterly wind, from 4 to 6, and partly on account of heated bearings, it was deemed inexpedient to test the engines for • malty at the measured mile, and she went accordingly roundthe her speed was twice dby log Eddystone.nie, when no On this efforts were used for her propulsion, and a rate of over 10 knots was indi ca t e d. Th e te tested l specialtrip revolutions varied from 45 to 52 per minute, steam pressure about 301 b., barometer pressure vacuum 29 inches, con denser 28 inches. The action of the screw did not create much trembling motion. The hot bearings consisted of the heating of some of the collars of the journals, which have all been fitted with great nicety. This circumstance does not in any way impugn the principle on which the engines are constructed, and up to the present time it is the opi nion of most of the practical engineers who have studied the mode of construction, that it is one likely to prove successful. When returning through the Sound the first cutter of her Majesty's bhip Canopus, with 12 rowers and a coxswain, in attempting to cross the bows of the Constance, came in contact with the steamtug Zephyr, lashed alongside. Eleven men stuck to the boat, but two, fearing all would be thrown into the sea, dived down under the tug, a paddlewheel, and came up astern of the Constance. A ring life-buoy was thrown over immediately, and one of the men having got into it raised himself until he descried his comrade, and boats having come from the Virago and other ships in the Sound, they were soon rescued. SPIRIT OP THE PUBLIC JOURNALS. TlMES.—Though the news which we publish this morning does not unravel the mystery of Gene ral Lee's operations, it gives us a good deal of addi tional information respecting the movements of his army. It is at least certain that his main body is not merely resting in the Shenandoah Valley, but is pushing on with vigour in various directions. To the west the forces of General Milroy have been de feated again and driven out of M'Connelsburgh, a place about half-way between Chambersburg and Bloody Run. To the north, Chambersburg is no longer occupied only by cavalry, but has become General Ewell's head-quarters; and if the ad vanced guard of the army has not already occu pied Carlisle, it is on the eve of doing so, and meets with only a nominal resistance. The force which we mentioned on Monday as ad vancing north-east on the Northern Central Railroad, between Baltimore and Washington has occupied Gettysburg, and is said to consist of ten regiments of infantry, with cavalry and artillery. On the south-east all accounts agree that General Lee's army occupies the valley of Boonesborough, South Mountain, and Frederick city. It will be ob served that most of these places were at the date of the intelligence we published on Monday occupied only by cavalry, and the reports, therefore, show that General Lee's army is steadily and systemati cally advancing in the directions we then indicated, and we are led to suppose that his troops are con stantly moving across the Potomac, either at Williamsport or at 80013 of the fords between that point and Harper's Ferry. The river for that dis tance, as we explained, is entirely in the hands of the Confederates, and they can move their forces over it as they please without any chance of interference by the Federals. In fact, Lee seems to be holding a sufficient force on the south of the Potomac to checkmate Hooker and hold him paralyzed while he is pushing his forces steadily for ward in Maryland and Pennsylvania, to prepare the way perhaps for some more important movement on Washington or Baltimore. Some such decided movement on one or both of those cities must be the object of the ex traordinary operation which is said to have been intrusted to one column of his army. We are in formed to-day that a large corps has been detached from the main army to cross the Potomac below Washington, and advance on the capital from the south. It is said that this division was accompanied by a large pontoon train, and, if so, there can be little doubt that it is intended to cross the Potomac at Dumfries and march northwards on Washing ton, or more probably on the line of railway which runs north-east from Washington to Baltimore. It is impossible to speculate on the success of this daring movement, but it is obvious that it is an extremely dangerous one. In the float place, the Federal gunboats command, or ought to command, the Potomac below Washington, and to cross on pontoons in their presence would be a most hazardous operation. But, besides that, supposing this force to be once across, it must be in a very critical posi tion. It will be out off from all its supplies and communications. The Confederates have no navy to protect the rear of a force advancing in this way up the sort of peninsula below Washington. If this division of 30,000 men should meet with any check, they will have nothing to fall back upon. and their retreat will be cut off by the Federal gunboats. It is obvious to point out that the movement divides the army of invasion, already considerably scattered. We must suppose that the corps is in tended to march northwards and unite with the forces advancing on the Washington and Baltimore Railroad from Frederick city. If it can reopen com munications with the main army in this way, it will be safe, and the movement may have the effect of isolating Washington on the south and east, as it is rapidly being isolated on the north and north-west. But it is very difficult to suppose that this corps can be expected to hold its ground without this northern communication, and the movement, therefore, gives us an important key to Gen. Lee's objects, and would seem to prove that he is aiming at Washington or Baltimore. In fact, a glance at the map will show how completely his recent movements are surround ing Washington. The spectacle, indeed, is most ex traordinary, whether the operations are ulti mately successful or not. There seems hardly one point around the Federal capital which General Lee is not threatening, and on the other side there is an inexpressible attitude of helplessness in the Washington Government and army. Hooker, we are told, holds the south side of the Potomac from Washington to Harper's Ferry. That is, while the enemy has possession of the river above him, so as to cross at pleasure, get round him, and in the rear of the city be is expected to defend, he sits mo tionless below, still facing the point where his enemy was. If he were to make some serious movement on that part of Lee's army which holds the Shenan doah Valley, and so threaten the Confederate com munication with Richmond, Hooker's position on the south side of the Potomac might turn to some advantage, and there is a rumour that he intends to make an attack on Harper's Ferry •, but, short of this, be only succeeds in makiog the sole army of defence on which the Federals can depend as use less in a great emergency as 70,000 men can possibly be. If General Lee has any designs on Washington and Baltimore, it is difficult to conceive that anything would suit him better than to be able to keep the whole of Hooker's army inoperative on the south side of the Potomac by retaining an un known force in the Shenandoah Valley, while his army gradually occupies all the important places on the north side of the Potomac, seizes all the rail roads, and closes steadily round Washington. If he succeeds in isolating the capital, Hooker will be obliged to meet him at last, for the Government cannot possibly afford to be shut off from the Northern and Western States. It was not by standing still and staring at his adversaries' movements that M'Clellan drove back the first Confederate invasion last year, and - this continued inactivity of General Hooker and the army of defence seems to us to in dicate nothing but ignorance and helplessness. The two Governments, or rather the two nations, seem to be treating this invasion in totally different ways. It is clear from the statements which we publish to day that the Confederate Government have thrown their whole force into the movement, and intend it to be a far more serious affair than the hurried in vasion of last year. We are informed that during the last two weeks 40,000 Confederate troops have passed through Lynchburg, bound for Richmond and the North. Old troops of General Lee, which he had detached some weeks ago to Chattanooga, 20,000 men from Gen. Bragg's army, and 10,000 from General Beauregard at Charleston, are beirg thrown into this critical struggle. The North have to face no mere raid, but an organised invasion on the largest scale, directed by a leader who has de feated all their generals in succession with forces far inferior to the powerful army he now commands. On the other hand, not only is the Federal Govern ' went as helpless and paralysed as we have described it, but the people partake of its inactivity and a pathy. The spectacle of disorganisation presented by the telegrams we publish to-day is at once dis graceful and disas trous. The capital is fast being surrounded, the railways are seized, the enemy is spreading fast over one of the richest and most popu lous States; yet the people of this State itself con tent themselves with placing the Susquehannah as quickly as possible between themselves and the in vaders, and the Governor of New Jersey has posi tively withdrawn his troops from the scene of action because ne cannot agree with the Governor of Penn sylvania as to the conditions on which the men are to serve. The only possible explanation of this ex traordinary indifference and want of spirit is, that in spite of their fears the Federals do not really be lieve their enemy - intends anything serious. It is the opposite case to the ~s tory of the boy who often. Their press and their too . cried " Wolf " public men have dinned intp their ears so . inces santly the weakness of the rebels .. and . their own invincible superiority that it . is impossible to rouse them now to a sense of their real danger. They h a ve all through this war indulged in the great and foolish error of underrating their adversary ; they secretly flatter themselves that this invasion is after all only a passing raid, and the same papers which cry frantically for fortifying Baltimore and raising the militia conclude by saying that this ought to be the end of the rebellion, and that none of the rebel army ought to return to Virginia. In the interest of peace it is to be hoped that Gen. Lee will at least make this invasion sufficiently effective to disgust the Northern people with the war, and to shame their leaders out of their boasting and conceit. HERALD.—The House of Commons is thankful for very small mercies . . It could not restrain its delight at learning from Lord Palmerston that " her Ma jesty's Government have pursued the standing policy of this country not to contract any engage ments with regard to events the course of which it is not possible to ascertain." Admirable sagacity not to commit oneself blindfold to a road of which you know nothing. What follies must the house not have anticipated from the noble lord when it could express its warm approbation of this very ordinary caution which only madmen would neglect. But the house is over credulous as well as over thankful. It seems to have believed that " we are at perfect liberty to act as events may arise in accordance with what we may then deem suitable to the interests and the honour of the country." It is no doubt quite true that the English Government has not entered into any engagements which bind it to draw the sword for Poland. We do not require Lord Palmerston's assertion to convince us that La France spoke without any warrant when it hinted at assurances given the French Government or Bri tish support in the event of its going to war with Russia. France would not ask for them at this stage of the business, and the English Government , has no occasion or inducement to offer them, When Russia gives a point-blank refusal to the demands of the allies, or the conferences which may be en tered into upon her acceptance of those demands as the basis of negotiation are broken off, then will be time enough for France to ask England to join in a crusade for Poland, or for England to impel France into such a war by the promise of a friendly neutra lity which might ripen into active aid. But it is alto gether a different question, whether, when that time comes, England will be at perfect liberty to act as her interests may prompt her. Great nations are bound, not only by written engagements and verbal assurances, but by the fair inferences to be drawn from the policy they have been pursuing. Their own honour, or a mistaken sense of that honour, sometimes drives them into war to maintain words too hastily spoken, or an attitude of defiance thoughtlessly assumed without any expectation of hostilities. Earl Russell, we are bound to believe —for we have his solemn declaration to that effect —regards a war on behalf of Poland hs the greatest scourge that could afflict Europe. But Earl Rus sell, for all that conscientious objection to war, may have rendered war unavoidable by assuming a tone towards Russia which will compel England, in whose name he speaks, to vindicate her contemned advice and remonstrance by hostilities; and no as surances of the Premier that we are not bound to any particular course should induce the Heuse of Commons to forget that Earl Russell is one of those ready writers who prefer an epigram to the fair ex pression of an idea ; that Lord Palmerston is a Minister who, there are good reasons to believe, is anxious to impel this country into a war with Rus sia; and that the Cabinet is composed in large part of the very men under whose guidance this country has once before drifted into a costly and needless war, which served no other purpose than the esta blishment of France as the dominant power upon the Continent. These assurances of Lord Palmer ston are, we repeat, worthless. They are no doubt literally true, but they have no practical value. What we want to know is, whether the tone in which Earl Russell has addressed the Russian Government is such as to leave it an opportunity of accepting his note as a basin of negociation, or whether it is not expressed in terms which render a decided refusal upon the part of Russia neces sary, and that refusal means such a reprimand to England that the spirit of her people wiel not enforce a 'warlike rejoinder. The demand for an armistice will certainly be rejected. It appears possible that the Russian Government may intimate its willingness to accept the other propositions as bases of negotiation. That will undoubtedly adjourn the difficulty, but it will not remove the danger. In a few weeks the season for operations in the Baltic will have passed; in even less time the embers of the insurrection may be crushed out. If these weeks can be gained by appearing to yield, the Russian Government, aware of the advantage, equivalent to complete triumph, will brave public opinion, which pronounces itself enthusiastically for resistance to the last extremity to the claims of foreigners to interfere in the affairs of Russia—for so the Russians style the interven tion on behalf of Poland. And what would then be the position of England and France ? The Polish question would be settled by the extermination of the Poles, but the quarrel with Russia would be embittered, and war would almost become necessary if only for the purpose of letting out the bad blood engendered. POST.--It is now upwards of fifteen months since the celebrated encounter between the Merrimac and Monitor in Hampton Roads shook the faith univer sally reposed in the efficiency of stone fortifications, Indeed, so extraordinary was the revulsion effected in popular opinion on the subject that her Ma jesty's Government deemed it advisable to sus pend for a tin a the works then in progress on fortifications which had previously been pronounced indispensable for the security of some of our ports and dockyards. The reaction, however—if we may call it by that term—was only temporary. It scarcely needed the further illustrations afforded in the course of the American war to satisfy the world that the means of attack must always be superior to those of defence. It happened indeed that, on the occasion above referred to, the Confe derate iron-clad was enabled to sink and disable several wooden ships of war belonging to the Federal navy, though lying under the guns of neighbouring forts. Bat, although the Merrimac received no injury, either from the guns of the vessels which she attacked or of the forts which protected them, it by no means followed that iron-plated gun-boats were absolutely impregnable. At that time we maintained in these columns that artillery could be constructed which would pierce the armour plating of any gun-boat then in existence. The event proves that we were correct. Setting aside the results of the experiments at Shoeburyness, which proved that plating even stronger than that with which the sides of the Warrior are covered was not impervious to rifled artillery, the facts disclosed at the bombard ment of Charleston may be considered as having finally disposed of the Claims advanced for the supe riority of ships over forts. On the Mississippi, at Vicksburg, and Port Hudson, iron-plated gun-boats have over and over again came into collision with forts, but on every occasion they have been repulsed. At the siege of Charleston the finest and strongest vessels of war ever employed by man endeavoured without avail to force their way past the fortifica tions commanding the entrance to the harbour. Whatever, then, may have been the doubts enter tained a twelvemonth since respecting the compara tive degrees of excellence of ships and forts, none can now exist that it is the duty of a State desirous of protecting its ports or dockyards from hostile fleets to construct fortifications, and to arm them with the most powerful artillery which modern science has placed at its disposal. In the coarse of last session an act was passed empowering the Go vernment to raise the sum of £3,200,000, to be ap plied towards the construction of fortifications. Of this sum, however, very little over £2,000,000 have been expended during the past financial year, which, together with about £300,000 due on lands already purchased on which to erect defensive works, left a balance exceeding £750,000 in the hands of the Government at the commencement of the cur rent year. The evening before last Lord Pal merston proposed to the House of Commons that an additional sum of £650,000 should be voted in order to meet the expenditure demanded for the prosecution of the works until March, 1864, and which, it is supposed, may reach £1,500,000. It is needless to say that when the original sum was granted Parliament was aware that renewed demands would be made, and, therefore, so far as regards the magnitude of the amount now asked for, it could only elicit objections from those who denied the necessity of erecting any fortifications at all. It is certainly not unreasonable that those who are the guardians of the public purse should anxiously and jealously examine every item of the national expenditure ; but it not unfrequently happens in the House of Commons that objections which are intelligible when offered to a project when mooted for the first time, are reiterated after a formal de cision of the house has deprived them of their origi nal importance. On a question whether the people of England shall construct fortifications or not, it is just as reasonable to object either that the people cannot afford the expense or that the fortifications will be useless. But when these objections have been formally negatived, and when large sums of money have been voted and expended in the construction of the proposed defences, it is no longer open to raise objections which, if entertained, would have the sole effect of rendering the outlay already occa sioned a barren expenditure. It is but just to say that, except on the vexed question of the value of forts in arresting the advance of iron-clad vessels, the Government proposal gave rise to no discussion. The fortifications which are already in course of construction, and some of which will be shortly completed, are those commanding the entrance of the Thames and Medway, the defences at Dover, Port land, Plymouth, and Pembroke, and the works which it is to be hoped will secure the dockyards of Portsmouth from the attacks of a hostile fleet, and prevent even the most formidable gunbeats forcing their way into the Solent and Southampton water. In the construction of these several fortifications much has been done during the past year. At some places the foundations of powerful casemated forts have been laid, at others works already in progress have been carried towards completion. It is, how ever, the defences of Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight which more than any others the country is desirous of seeing placed in an efficient state. It was chiefly in respect to the value of these works that doubts arose in consequence of the achieve ments of the Merrimac and Monitor. • It may now, however, be considered settled that, however use ful floating batteries might be in opposing the en trance of an enemy's fleet into Southampton water, permanent fortifications cannot be dispensed with. It was originally recommended by the Commis sioners appointed to report upon the best means of fortifying Spithead, that forts should be raised com manding the channel leading to the anchorage, and that defensive works should also ,be constructed upon the south side of the Isle of Wight. On these recommendations the Government will act, and forts will be constructed on opposite sides of the channel, which at Spithead is about 2,000 yards across, by which means all attacking vessels must come within a range of, at most, 1,000 yards. It has already been demonstrated that at a range of 800 yards a Whitworth 120-pounder gun can pierce a target similarly constructed to the side of the Warrior, so that there is no reason to doubt that even at a greater range the same feat might be performed— if not with similar, at least with heavier artillery, The close similarity existing between Spithead and the entrance to Charleston Harbour justifies the proposal of Government, since it is fair to assume that, if forts proved too strong for ships at the latter place, they would equally do so at the former. On the second reading of the bill on Thursday even ing, Sir F. Smith has given notice that he will take the opinion of the House of Commons on the expe diency of the proposed fortifications. With the ex perience afforded by the American war, the decision of Parliament on this point cannot he doubtful. Murder of Three Children by their Mother. SUICIDE OF THE MURDERESS. BATH, Tuesday Evening,—l have just returned from the contemplation of a most melancholy sight —the corpses of three children and their mother, who lie at the George Inn, Bathampton, a village about three miles from this city. The children were yesterday drowned by their mother, the unhappy woman herself having after wards committed suicide. The facts of the shocking affair, so far as could be gathered from the parties present, were that the deceased woman, who was about 36 years of age, was the wife of a man named Colts, who was about 20 years her senior, and they lived with their five children in apartments at No. 2, Galloway-build ings in this city. Formerly they were in good circumstances, and about four years ago they re sided at Larkhall, a suburb of Bath ; but thence, about four years ago, they went to Bristol, and took the Ring of Bells public-house, Thomas -street, which turned out an unfortunate speculation, and three or four months ago they returned to Bath, and have since subsided upon the sale and pawning of their wearing apparel and other property. This reverse of circumstances appears to have affected the mind of the wife, who was a sensitive woman, and she on several occasions had said to neighbours that she could not endure their state of penury, and should drown herself and children. On Sunday moaning a distriot visitor who called at the house saw her forlorn condition, and advised her to go with her family to the workhouse, as her husband is incapacitated from infirmity from following his trade as a carver and gilder. Yesterday about half past 12 she left her home taking with her the three younger children, two boys and a girl. John, the eldest of the three, was six years old; the next, Matilda, was about three; the other an infant in arms. All were very fine children. They called at the Folly public-house on the banks of the Ken net and Avon canal, and having rested a short time, during which the mother partook of half a pint of beer, they proceeded along the towing-path towards Bathampton. On reaching a secluded spot, where the canal is spanned by a stone bridge, it is supposed she first threw the children into the water, and then jumped in herself. Indeed, a milkman in the meadows adjoining heard a cry of Don't 'ee, mother," and then " Murder ;" and a lady in a villa at some distance heard the same sounds, and saw a child running from a woman on the towing -path, but they became hid behind a clump of trees, and she thought it was merely a mother chastising her child. It is now supposed that she had thrown her two younger children into the water, and was pursuing the eldest for the same purpose, as on the milkman reaching the canal a few minutes after, he saw the woman in the water, and an alarm being raised, and drag poles secured, she was dragged out quite dead. The canal was dragged for some dis tance further, and ultimately the three children were recovered, but life was extinct. COUNTRY MARKETS. -4 , - LEEDS—TUESDAY. To-day there was a moderate supply of wheat, which met scarcely any demand, at rates nominally the same as the previous week. MARKET HARBOROUGH—TDEsnAv. White wheat, 47s to 525; red, 44s to 483 per 36 stone. Malting barley at —s to —s per qr. ; grinding, 30s to 34s per 30 st. Oats, old, 24s to 265; new, 19s to 22s per 24 st. ; beans, 370 to 428 per qr. In this vici n ity th e growing crops are coming on very well indeed. LIVERPOOL—TUESDAY. At our market to-day there was a fair attendance both of millers and dealers, and wheat experienced a slow sale, at a decline of 3d per cental from the prices of Tuesday last. Indian corn was in fair request, and prime mixed brought 275, Oats in fair demand, at late quotations, but oatmeal must be quoted 6d to 9d per load decline on the prices of last week. Beans were fully 6d higher. Flour of prime quality met a free sale, at a decline of about 6d pet barrel ; inferior, however, is quite neglected. Barley and peas still only saleable in retail. SHEFFIELD—TUESDAY. The show of wheat and othor grain was small, and the attendance unusually thin. Trade ruled very dull, but lett week's prices were generally taken. Red wheat, per load of 3 imperial bushels...lBs Od to 19s Od White // , , ...20s Od to 21s Od , • New red ...l6s Od to 17s Od New white ~ ,) ...18s Od to 19s Od Beans / 2 11 ... 16s Od to 19s Od Peas, per qr 458 Od to 56s Od Grinding barley, per qr 30s Od to 32s o€l Malting ditto, „ 34s Od to 38s Od Oats // 2os Od to 27s Od Flour, is 7d to 2a Od per stone. MELTON MOWBRAY—TUESDAY. The following were the currencies :—New white wheat, 43s Od to 54s Od ; new red, 43s Od to 49s per 36 stone; beans, 39s to 42s for old ; new sorts, 35s to 38s per 38 at. ; barley, —s to —s for malting, and 28s to 30s per qr. for grinding; new oats, 20s to 28s Od per 24 stone. Around here harvest prospects are exceedingly good. Wheat, bar ley, oats, and beans are coming on well. LYNN--T lIESDAY. • In this neighbourhood the wheat crop is very favourably spoken of, and the weather during the week has been splen did, Oats and beans look most luxuriant. Barley is fa. vourably reported of, but the plant varies. White 48s to 50s j Barley. ...... ' 30s to 34s Red.. ..47s to 48s Gr inding ..28s to 29s Beans .36s to 40s' Oats • • .2os to 24s New —s to —s J Peas —s to —s THE MHOW COTTIiT-MARTIAL. ___________•___ _____ The following " Copy of a Memorandum of his Royal Highness the Field Marshal Commanding in Chief on the Mhew Court-martial, sent privately to Sir H. Rose and Sir W. Mansfield," has just beet published : Horse Guards, Feb, 1863. The Field Marshal Commanding in Chief has had under his consideration the letter addressed by General Hugh Rose to the Adjutant-General, on the 20th ult., on the subject of the late court-martial in the 6th Dragoons. In reference to the observations contained in that document, and in others addressed to himself per sonally, his Royal Highness desires to assure Sir H. Rose and Sir W, Mansfield, that in whatever respect he may have differed from the conclusions they may have arrived at, he is entirely convinced that they have both b ee n actuated solely by the desire to do justice, and to maintain the discipline of the troops submitted to their command. No doubt one of the chief mainstays of discipline is to be found in the support by the superior officers, of officers in immediate command of regiments, where that support can be given with justice. The Field Marshal Commanding in Chief, there fore, fully appreciates the motives which led Sir Hugh Rose, Sir William Mansfield, and others to countenance Lieut.-Colonel Crawley's conduct, as contrasted with those who have opposed him. In accepting the verdict of the court-martial against Paymaster Smales, his Royal Highness has proved to the army that an attempt to coerce a commanding officer can have bat one termination, the ruin of those who attempt it. At the same time it is a bsolutely necessary that it should be made evident that those attaining high and responsible positions, such as the command of a regiment of high reputation, should understand that they are to exercise their functions with dis cretion. end refrain from seeking to exalt them selves by a depreciation of those entrusted to their command. This lesson, his Royal Highness hopes, has now been learnt by Lieut.-Colonel Crawley; and that he will in future, by firmness united with temper and discretion, prove himself worthy to command a regiment which his Royal Highness knows by per sonal experience to have been equal to any in her Majesty's service under former commanding officers. With respect to the long arrest of the non-com missioned offi cers , his Royal Highness sees no rea son to alter his opinion of its im p ro p riet y , which is admitted by Sir W.Mansfield whilst he explains the cause. The case of- Sergeant-Major Lilley will ever re mraobinabaine,utnhfoartthue may have taken a portion of the event. It is possible, perhaps p liquor supplied for his wife, but there seems no proof that he did so to such an extent as to cause his death. His character for sobriety and correct conduct pre vious to his arrest, se ems to have been undo ubted. In closing the correspondence on: this painful sub ject, the Field-Marshal desires to express his hope that the conduct o f all parties in the I nn i s kill en Dragoons for the fu ture ma y be s uch as to deserve the approbation of t he g eneral offic ers under whom they may be called on to serve ; but should, unfor tunately, what has passed not have b een a su ffi c i ent warninghesi tate his severest displea sure th ose w h o forget their duty in the p ursuit of their private ' to v s t i o t them,with bis Royal Highness will not animosities. R EPAIRIN G AND DECORATING ST. PAUL'S.—For the last three or f our months w orkmen have been busily engaged i n r e-gilding the hall and cross which sur mount the dome of St. Paul's Cathedral. This is the first time they have been touched since they were put up, now some thirty years back. The work is commenced from the top and carried downwards, and the scoffolding on which the workmen are engaged is enclosed in canvas—an arrange ment which answers the double purpose of protecting the newly-gilt portions from the elements, and affording security to those engaged. The scaffolding for this operation required to be of peculiar construction, and it has been undertaken by a ship-rigger, who, it appears, possesses a special genius for erecting scaffolds, and who on this occasion has turned out a work admirably adapted for the purpose. The re gilding is being conducted under the superintendence of Mr. Penrose, of St. Paul's Churchyard. While this work is in hand some repairs will be done to the leadwork of the dome—the scaffolding for which purpose will also be erected by the shiprigger before-mentioned. Soma of the stone work of the exterior is under the hands of the mason, and Not a moment before it was needed. A short time since a portion of the capital of one of the columns outside the north entrance became dislodged and fell on to the steps beneath. The mass represented about a quarter of the capital, and weighed upwards of 2 cwt. The defect has been neatly remedied, the new work inserted being stained to a tint uniform with the adjacent parts, and so artistically fixed that it is difficult of detection. While attending to this repair the capitals of the other columns were examined, and it was found that some of them were in a dangerous state, Other portions of the stonework will be included in the present repairs, especially some parts of the cornice, which admit the wet, and the columns of the west entrance, We may mention that the steps of the cathedral are in a very delapidated state. When we con sider the small amount of renovation which has been bestowed upon the noble pile since its erection, we cannot but contrast it favourably with some of our modern public buildings, which seem to be built only for the express pur pose of being patched up.—Building News. [ADVERTISEMENT ]—Consumption, all nervous, bilious, liver, and stomach complaints, fa every stage, are only ag gravatei and accelerated by drugs of every description, but perfectly curable by Du Barry's health restoring Revalenta Arabica Food, as proved by thousands of cases which had been considered hopeless. We quote a 1 ew.— Cure No. 62,914. Miss Lange, 18 years of age, cured after the medical men had abandoned all hope; of her recovery from the last stage of pulmonary consumpti on , w i th f ear ful cough, expectorat i o n, exhaustion, spitting- of blood, ersp i ra tions, hollow cheeks, emaciated to a sk e l e t on. She is now, than k God, a perfectly healthy, bloo m i ng, fleshy Commissaire de Police. Cure, N o . 45, Mr. diseased lungs, e 270. girl.—N. James Roberts, of Frnley, Surrey, of thirty years,L' tinge, sp itting of blood, liver derangement, and partial deafness.—Cure, No. 47,121. Miss Elizabeth Jacobs, of extreme nervousness, indigestion, gatherings, In spirits, and nervous tansies.—Cure, No. 54,816. 'I he Rev. James T. Campbell, Fakenham, Norfolk, of indigestion and torpidity of the liver, which had resisted all medical treat ment. In tins, Ilb, 25 9d ; 21 b , 4 s 6 d ; 51 b, 11 s ; 121 b, 22 5; 241 b, 40 8 . Barry du Barry and CJ., No. 77, Regent-street, London ; also Fortnum and Mason; and all grocers and chemists in every town of the United Kingdom, Foreign Mail Packet List. MAILS DUE. Aurtralia and Mauritius, via Southampton....... July 19. via Marseilles ....... „July 13. drazil and Cape Verde, by British packet. ....... Aug 4. Cape of G oo d H ope, Ascension, and St. Helena.. July . 29, China, Penang, and Singapore, via Southampton. July 19. via Marseilles ...July 13. Falkland Islands July 1L India (Calcutta), an d Ceylon, via Southampt on .. July 19. via Marseilles.... J u l y 13. India (Bombay), via Southampton ............July 11. via Marseilles ................ J uly 20. Portugal.... ............ Aug. 4. Malta, Egypt, and Men, via Southampton...... July 11. via Marseill es ........ July 13, Newfoundland ......................... • .. July 22. Oporto and Vigo ............ IL S. and Briti s h N. America, by Brit. packet. . ... July 16. by - U.S. packet.... b Cul 10 W.C. of Afric a , M a d e i ra, and Ty eneriff anadian packet e July 10 . Bahamas, via New York July 30. Mexico ................ ....July 29. All parts of West Indies, including Chili, Peru, 1 July 14. California. and Briti s h Columbia.. [ADVERTISEMENT.]—HoIIoway's Pills.—The Direct Remedy.—For the subjugation of disease and the preser vation of health it is all important to maintain the purity of the blood, and to keep its channels clear that no foulness or obstructions shall impede - the ' life-sustaining current. By these means are Holloway's Pills all powerful in re storing and protecting the human frame, and freeing it from fevers, influenzas, congestions, inflammations, neu ralgic and gouty pains —in short, from the many dan gerous maladies arising from bad blood. A pure circula tion is good security for life and health; when it is right the nerves are in excellent condition, and on the order, harmony, and completeness of these two systems depends the perfection of life —energy, health, and happiness. Births. COWPAR.—On the sth inst., at River View, Blairgowrie, N. 8., the wife of Lieutenant-Colonel Cowpar, of a daughter. MITFORD.—On the sth inst., at 12, Cavendish-square, the Hon. Mrs. Townley Mitford, of a son. RUSSELL.—On the 6th inst., at the Marine -parade, Graves end, the wife of John Russell, Esq., of a son. Marriages. CITIDELL—Tinturr.--ChiL the 7th inst., at Saint Saviour's, Paddington, John Chidell, Esq,, 31, Portsdown-road. Maida-hill, to Katharine Harriet, youngest daughter of C. J. Thrupp, Esq of Ferry house, Twickenham. FARRAR—WOOD.—On the 4th inst., at St. Pancras, the Rev. Adam Storey Farrar, to Sarah Martha, the third daughter of the late Rev. Robert Wood, of 7, Upper Gower-street. Deaths. ALLEN.—On the Ist June, at Mussoorie, India, Susan, the wife of Major Augustine Allen, Staff Corps. BEAN.— On the 6th inst., at Lewisham-road, Mr. Chas. M. Bean, aged 61. BAnNARD.—On the 6th inst., at Canonbury, Mary, relict of Charles V. Barnard, Esq., aged 67. DINELEY.—On the 4th inst., at South Hayes, Worcester, the Rev. George Dineley, 8.D., rector of Churchill, aged 76. TuomAs.--On the 7th inst., at Claremont Lodge, Tulse. hill, Samuel Thomas, Esq.) o f 9, Size-lane, city, aged 48. WRIGHT.—On the 6th inst.,J Erh es i s t ie , F a a g n ea ny l , 9 s . ixth daughter of James Wright, FAQ., of London : Printed and Published by WILLIAM ANDREWS of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at THE SUN Office, No. 112 Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the County of Middlesex. —•Wednesday, July g o 1863. At Lon: shin Hen of v, Ca ther -....:.-. Inca Li hi: Dep to be V. Maj Frei Fra T. I J. 6