The Sun. — London, England, 1863-12-31 00:00:00

Ninth Report of the Postmaster-General, Year 1862. Whoever takes a comprehensive view of the Post office and allows his mind to dwell long enough on the various services it daily renders to the com munity, will assuredly class it among the most important of our institutions. By a very slight effort of the imagination we may fancy that it realises the long sought after, but undiscovered principle of perpetual motion, for its machinery never ce.r.ses. It is incessantly active, both on land and water, and might appropriately take for its motta the " Qum regio in terris nostri non plena laboris ?" for its agency extends to the remotest parts of the habitable globe. It is the great agent of civilisation and commerce, and discharges its functions with a regularity that is truly astonish ing. Letters, books, mercantile circulars, diverse small articles, and money, are distributed by its means with punctuality and despatch, and entitles it to the distinctive title of the great "wheel of circulation," which Adam Smith applied to another instrument. From year to year fresh demands are made en the energies of the Post Office, and it proves itself equal to all emergencies. It is always penetrating new districts, and multiplying advan tages to the old. In the London district alone 11,000 additional houses were built during the last year, "2,300 within the town limits, and more than 9.400 in the suburbs." In thG more important provincial towns there is a proportionate increase in builded area, As education spreads, which it does rapidly, the nsmber of those who can write is annually augsienting' and adds to the labours of the administrtion. The penny postage was established in 183 f, since which date down to 1832 the increase o r letters transmitted through the post has been en.',9,000,000, or very nearly eight fold the number since the uniform rate was intro duced. How rapidly and continuously the advance has becoimappears from the fact that the returns or 1862 .eceed those of 1861 lov i 2,000,000. In the Loelon district alone the number of letters is not/ nearly double that of the whole United Kingdom prior to 1839. Th e proportion of letters to each person is 24 in England. 19 in Scotland 1-ut only nine in Ireland. T his g ives a melancholy picture of the Emerald Is le, whether al, regards trade or education. Without instituting a scn . parison between it and England, th e contrast between it and Scotland is humiliating and depress ing, Ireland being g reatl y superior in territorial area an d population. These Post-office statistics show too clearly the backwardness of the country, and the value of the silly boast of its being inha bited by the " finest peasantry" in the world. That they are a warm-hearted, affectionate race, hold ing strongly together by th e ti es o f f am il y , i s abundantly proveable by very many well-known facts, from which it might be assumed that episto lary communication would be frequently among re lations, and from its absence we can only infer that the grossest ignorance prevails among the lower orders, that i s to say they can neither write nor read. Now, who deprives them of the advantages which cheap and rapid postage present to their ac ceptance ? Certainly not the British Government, - Which has organised and sustains the mail service, though it is falsely char a ed with all the inferiority visible in the land and the people; but it would be difficult for the most brazen impudence to affirm that it deprived the finest peasantry of the privilege acquiring the rudiments of knowledge. The pain- Tui Lot remains that they ha7o it not, and the blame must rest with those who keep them in mental slavery, This is one of the truths that all may learn who rightly vine the Post-office system in ail its bearings. As to trade, it appears that the increase of printed circulars has been unusually great, and during the last year at the London ciao the in crease has been more than 11 per cent. over the preceding year. It would be a rash inference that this was evidence of expanding trade ; it is, indeed, proof of a very contrary state of things, for it shows the difficulty of effecting sales, arising from the -want of means in the pockets of willing purchasers. It is notorious that, to all the suburban districts circulars ore not only sent through the post but are delivered by hand from largo r.uetropolitan est - blishments. It isis direct method 'of advertising, as the circulurs are sure to corao under the eye o: thwe to whom they are addressed. which is not s;: cer:;ain iu newspupt•zs. These missives nu: designed to e.ra77 customers from the local shops to a central b7sincss is conducted on a scale ..0, eud. the cost would not be incurred. if tree were bri . sle. Teia practice has long been resorted to by tailore—we beg pardon, we oughi. to have written "merchant clothiers ;" but recently it hu4 been followed by tea merchants of large business and weir-knoam provision dealers and imparters at geenine foreign wiues on an extensive scale. If, then, we put a riot interpretation on thi s portion of the Post-office statistics, and deduce from them the true knowledge they impart, we ought to conclude that trade is not so prosperous as some ac credited authorities represent, if the old saying be true that none know where the shoe pinches so well as those who wear it. These circulars are but flags of distress hung out to attract customers to the rescue. Such invitations or decoys are never issued e=xcept under pressure, and are clear proofs that an e 3 tablishment is not self sustaining. The Peat Office is the poor man's bank, and in that character discharges a very useful function. It is the safest instrument for transmitting small Silta ` 3 of money when letters are registered, and wh ea they are not of course it is the fault of the writer. The fee was always trifling in its per •centage, and recently it has been reduced from 6d. to 4 d- On inla n d letters containing money, the registry has >3 ' -'en made compulsory since last August, at the London office, where alone these measures arc as yet enforced. The public evidently approve of them, for the increase of registered letters in 1862 compared with those of 1861 has been 37 per c ent , The number of lette rs com yeas 58,000. A s a consequence pulsorily registered the number of applications for mi ss i ng l etters at the London office has declined by more than one half; but this reform has been attended by a much more cheering result. the last quarter of 1861 four London letter-carriers were convicted of stealing cash .letter's; in the co rresponding' quarte r of 1562 not one was even char gQd with such an offence." This rule of ,compulsory registration will be extended to all parts of the cou ntry, I t i s, however, notified that even when a lett er is regis tered the Post Office does not absolute guarantee its security and delivery with its contents untou c h ed, nor can it till some alteration is made in an act o f Parliament ; but even under the la w as it exists th e risk incurred by the public is reduced to a minimum, as it appears from the following official statement: " Daring the last half of 1862, out of about 'OO,OOO registered letters posted ie the United Kingdom, whether for delivery at borne or abroad, the whole number lost was only 12, viz., seven in land and fire foreign or colonial letters, although ther.! were some other letters which it was declared had been: opened. The bank-notes, coins, or other available property stated, upon what was considered good evidence, to have been contained in the last mentioned letters, amounted to less than £2OO (X 62 of `}ri c h was in places abroad), while the total amount of such property In the 12 lost letters was 01 4 00. 6d." vE The letter-carters and other officers of this de inrttn,eut are, of course, interested in whatever ar rargemeut diminishes temptation to 'theft, and throws 110 Pediments in the way of its successful perpetration ; end where it is committed they are glad that detection is made the more easy, as the innoctn'f ti re vet involved in suTicion. This i s one of the benefits arising. from registration, and an auxiliary sYstem nab introdu ce d called " re strictive sorting," which reduces the number of hands through which the letters pass, and thus facilitates the tracing of guilt. In the United Kingdom th ere are 2,579 money -order cffices; in their advanta ges man y of the co l onies already share, and we p resume th e intenti on is to include all within thei r range a t no distant d ate, This method of circulation is now very " n3 idt)rable, and it is annually art the increase: In 1862 th e sum thus distributed was X 15,761,259, and the number of orders was 7,587,045, the avera g e value ,of each being about 10a. No banker would under- take the transnaiesien of such trifling sums, so that here the Poet 011iee renders a most useful service to the poorest class of the community; nor must it be forgotten that the postage stamps form a very con venient currency, for they are practically the signs of money. Money orders were at first not' allowed to exceed £5 ; now they may be obtained for £lO. The Post Office renders effectual service to edu cation by the cheap delivery of book packets. In 1862 the number of these was 14,000,000, being an increase on the previous year of 1,700,000. It acts also as the distributor of news and of politiccal opinion. In 1862 it circulated 73,000,000 news papers, or half a million more than in 1861. In this manner it indirectly aids the various trades connected with literature. The latest career in which the Post-office has embarked is that of savings banks, commenced in September, 1861. The scheme has proved highly successful, for during the year 1862 accounts were Wales, opened by 180,000 depositors. In the same period there were in England and 1933 , in Ire land, 300 ; and Scotland, 299 of these banks con nected with the Post-office. Since the beginning of the current year there has been an addition of 332 banks, and the deposits with the interest figure for £2,952, 296 . These i nstitutions have been largely used by friendly , provident, and ndhy t th e the reportmanagers of penny that " one charitable banks. It societies, is observed in the important advantage of Post-office savings banks is that they give any person the power of making a deposit or taking out money in any part of the country i n which he may happen to be, without reference to the place where his account was origi nally opened. This power is largely used. Last year there were not fewer than 20,872 such deposits and 15,842 withdrawals." The old savings banks are expiring under this competiiton,:and the volun tary retirement of the trustees of 36 such esta blishments is already recorded, and £340,000 have been transferred from them to the Post-office banks. Tne new transactions have become so numerous that they extend to 114,000 books. The ocean mail service, chiefly performed by private companies under contract, is admirably conducted, and the punctuality with which it is t-xseuted is one o; the most wonderful achievements of this wonderful age. A few examples cannot fail to interest our readers. " The arrival of the mails, via Marseilles, dispatched from Sydney, New South Wales, distant nearly 13,000 miles, on the 22d September ; from Calcutta, distant 8,000 miles, on the 10th October; from Shanghae, distant upwards of 11,000 miles, on the 19th, and from Hong Kong, distant upwards of 10,000 miles, on the 27th Sep tember; the mails were all due in London on the 18th November, at midnight, and they arrived one hour and ten minutes before that time." The mails sent from Southamton to the West Indies and Central America have arrived at their destination at the precise moment when they are due; and those from Chili, after having been carried across the Isthmus of Panama, have been delivered at Vaiparaise, 9,000 miles from Southampton, two hours before the appointed time. Transit, there fore, is calculated with as much certainty by sea as by land—a distinctive triumph of human intellect, attesting the skill of the naval architect who con structs the machine, and of the navigator who acquires an absolute master over its operations. To keep up this regularity the fleet of steam ships, their tenders not included, is 96, with an aggregate of 140,000 tons, and of 36,000-horse power. The largest and most powerful vessel employed in this service is the Scotia, of 3,871 tons and 1000-horse power; and the smallest is the Vivid, ;of 300 tons and 128 horse power, which runs between Dover and Calais and Dover and Ostend. This Post-office fleet, if we may so call it, is manned by a force of 8,000 sailors and officers, and 33 naval agents who are officers in the royal navy. Such is a rapid outline of this administrative machinery, as admirable as it is complicated, as useful as it is wonderful. The next question is the cost. The net gross re venue properly appertaining to the year 1862 was £3,777,304, an increase over that of 1861 of £114,306. The expenditure was £2,540,363. The net revenue described as " the difference between the adjusted gross revenue and adjusted expenditure," figures for £1,236,941. If, however, the whole cost of the packet service were placed to the debit of the Post (Alice, instead of part of it being assigned to political purposes, the net revenue would be reduced to £742,681. The staff of the Post-office consists of 25,380 persons, and this number includes agents in foreign countries for collection of postage, As a part of /no internal administration, in which the public at large have no direct concern, we must mention the Mutu4l Guarantee Fund, which relieves the effi cers of the department subscribing to it of the he cessily of giving bonds. A very small pa) meet per head is found to be sufficient, as defalcations are rare. The system has been adopted for several years at the chief offices, Iu the London office there are how more than 2,700 such subscribers, 297 clerks, and 2,428 letter carriers, sorters, and messengers. It is the practice of the officers to insure their lives, the Post Office paying part of the premiums-- and this rule has been followed by some of the great railway companies. Candidates for admission into the service are examined by a medical officer. In the year 1862 there were 173 candidates exa mined, of whom 21 were rejected as physically unfit for the duties. It is recommended that none shall be appointed who have not been vaccinated, or taken the disease naturally. Out of this section of the report two facts may be mentioned, as they interest many persons. Rheumatism and diarrhoea have been less frequent and less intense since Mackintosh capes have been discontinued ; and it is said, from the experience of the medical officer, that railway travelling is not attended with injuri ous effect to the healthy and strong if it be not ex cessive ; but that them who begin it at 25 er 33 years of age are more liable to suffer from it than those accustomed to it from an earlier period of life. Extensive Dock Projects at Cardiff, The rapidly advancing port of Cardiff at the present time possesses most extensive dock accommodation, but the trade of exportation of coal and iron has for the last four or five months proved so great that the docks have been crowded to excess, while numbers of ships wait their turn in Ponarth roads. The existing dock accommodation consists of the East Bute dock, acreage 45a 3r 3p; West Bute dock, acre age 19a 3r 2p; tidal harbour, _about I.oa ; Glamorganshire canal, about 14a (used by shipping) ; Penarth tidal harbour and Penarth dock (almost completed), about 13a. From GOO to 800 vessels visit the port monthly, and during one month of the present year upwards of 150,000 tons of tool were exported alone. The trustees of the Manlius of Bute 1 have ziven notice of application to Parliament at the next session for permission to construct new docks, and so ex tensive have been the projects proposed that they will al most require a lifetime for their accomplishment, and the expenditure of more than two millions of money. The '6'.?t7 4 4, Times of last week issues a map of the port, with the pro posed new docks, &c , accompanied by'ertanatory and de scriptive matter. From it we find tito new docks are three iq number, which, with the tmount of lands, &c., for I Ta orl wharves, w ill enc l ose a space of some 500 or 600 acres. ki ng the d oc k s in ae, the first which receive!,, atten tion.is the boating deck, w hi c h , as regardsrtsitfoli, lies in a co nttn u° , ' l, line with the existing Fast and West Bute docks. this sh ee t o f rater will be a, large extension of the present "at," gand in area be about 40 acres. It will be entered by a large basin and three gates, and there will be sufficient water at. all stat es of th e tide to allow for exit and entrance e ttm-we ster ly ( l oo k , running parallel to tbe To th e west of the floating dock will u'h4 aboatthinegndeorw.etkan3' Its area will 7 b e about 29 acres, and it trill be entered by the basin loading t,, fl wing. k The new south-eastcrly dock will be the largest t=hroe; of water of the whole, havi ng an area of 68 acre s goad a basin of 12 acres. In. position :i t w ill li e diagonal to the Mating dock, the northern extr em it y i n ch/sine: to the east. T he depth of water on the s ill s at hi g h spring tides will b e 31 feet, and' it will consequently admit ships of very largo burden. Among other works is a landing pier, which. will be 1,600 yards long and 300 yards below low water mark. Its posi tion is to the east of the floating and south-easterly docks; it is at an angle of about 45 degrees to the floating dock. and at almost right angles to the south-easterly d ox a t. I t will also act as a breakwater to protect the shipping f rom easterly winds, and in that respect will fict an important part in the economy of that system of commercial develop. meat which this gigantic scheme will aid in carrying out. [ADVERTISENENT.I—HoIIoway's Ointment. —All va rieties of ulcerations, sores, wounds, and eruptions can be cured by the diligent use of this cooling, soothing, and healing unguent. The old and often failing fashion of strapping the edges of ulcers together with plaister has entirely given way beft9re the more reasonable treatment by Holloway's Ointment, which builds up from the bottom of the wound witli4ound and healing granulations ; these gradually grow till they reach the level of the surface, then contract, harden, and immediately become covered with a new and wholesome akin. The proper application of this Ointment diminishes the inflammation, causes "Ic un healthy discharge first to grow thick, then to the swelling distippears, and *likturat THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 31, 1863, THE LONDON COMMISSIONAIRES. (From tke London Review.) On the conclusion of the Crimean war, Captain Edward Walter, formerly an officer in the army, set his wits to work to devise some means by which the evils from which we had previously suffered might be avoided. It was not, however, until the worst of the Indian revolt was over that a practi cal commencement was made. In February, 1859, the cap tain, after much preliminary labour, and not a little diffi culty, formed the small band of men which has since grown into a corps of very respectable sin and great usefulness, and the streets of London began to show the unwonted sight of a body of Commissionaires similar to those of various Continental cities. The number was originally only seven; but it rapidly Increased, as people became aware that for a very small cost they could secare the services of messengers of good character, responsible to a gentleman of honour and Social position, and accustomed to the restraints of military discipline. The scheme was so quietly inaugurated that for some time many persons did not know what to make of the smart soldiery-looking men in uniform, many of them maimed, and some wearing a number of medals, on their breasts, who were suddenly beheld hurrying to and fro with parcels in their hands, or leather pouches strapped about their persons; and we believe that even now the public are not sufficiently informed of the existence of the corps, or at least of the objects for which it is de signed. The institution, nevertheless, has expanded a good deal since its commencement. During the Great Exhibition of 1862, when of course there was an extra de mand for such services, and when London was filled with foreigners who would be particularly alive to the accommo dation offered them in this way, our English Commission aires ranged from 300 to 400. It will not be forgotten that they officiated as money-takers and dear-keepers at the vast building—posts which they still fill at various places of en tertainment. At present the muster is only about 200; but taking the sum-total of men who have joined the corps from first to last, we find an aggregate of more than GOO. Of these, some of course have died, some have voluntarily left the service, and some have been discharged for insu bordinate conduct, for drunkenness, or for dishonesty. The discharged have set up for themselves, and, adopting a uniform similar to that of Captain Walter's men, have en deavoured to sail under false colours. To guard against these very questionable traders, the public are officially re quested to demand, before engaging the services of any man in uniform, the production of the ticket-book, in order that they may ascertain whether or not the ticket bears the sig nature of Charles Handford, the sergeant of the corps. It is certainly the duty of employers, both to themselves and to the genuine commissionaires, to adopt this slight and easy precaution. An imposter is not a likely man to respect the property which is confided to his care; and the reputa tion of the honest may be imperilled among persons of hasty judgment by the misconduct of a set of rascals who copy the external appearance of the body from which they have been expelled. The Commissionaires consist for the most part of soldiers who have seen active service; but there are also some sailors and marines, and a few Volunteers and ex-policemen. The majority have been wounded, and many empty sleeves and wooden legs are to be seen among the men ; but injuries are not a sine qua non, though they aro considered as giving a greater claim to engagement. Some of the messengers are quite whole and sound, and all are fine martial-looking fel lows in the vigour of life, generally bearded or moustached, neatly clad, scrupulously clean, and with a firm, erect bearing. Divisions are stationed at Brighton, Liverpool, Manchester, and Birmingham. The London head quarters are at the barracks—a large range of buildings up Exchange-court, Strand, close to Bedford-street. Here the West-end men aro paraded at half-past eight in the morning during the summer, and at nine in the winter, pre vious to going to their posts; the City men muster in frcnt of the Royal Exchange, and are thence told off. Perma nent men, however--that is to say, men who, in conse quence of specially exemplary conduct or superior educa tion, have obtained permanent situations —are only required to report themselves once a week. The corps is divided into first and second class men, distinguished by separate badges; and there are also corporals and sergeants, who respectively bear the chevrons of their rank, similar to those in the army. An adjutant and some orderly officers assist Captain Walter in the command of the corps. Promotion is made according to good conduct and ability, and fines are imposed for any remissness, or breach of discipline, or disregard of tidiness. Having been inspected at the parade-ground, the men go to their several sta tions, and wait for engagements, These stations are at the chief places of public resort in the city, the west central district, the south western, and the western, The men so posted are chiegy second class men, equivalent to privates in the array or censtables in the police. If it should come on to rain while they are yet unengaged, they must seek " any port in a storm," and soldiers and sailors are gene rally handy enough at improvising mer sures against sudden emergencies; besides, they are well protected against wet weather by an oilskin cape, and against cold weather by a stout, regimental great-coat. As a rule, they are to remain in the immediate vicinity of their posts until engaged, or until the time arrives for leaving; but they must occasion ally look in at the neighbouring depots, to see if any orders for theta have arrived. The depots aro shops at which mes sages and parcels are received for the men, and handed to them when they call—nmeh as passages are received for the London Delivery Company. Should a messenger be absent from his post owing to illness, his place is at once filled by another men ; and employers are requested, if they require a man for the whole day, or for a period exceeding three hours, to send to the head-quarters, as the prolonged abseece of a Commissionaire from his poet injures the eys non. Captain Walter guarantees the safe delivery of all property to the value of £lO with the ordinary men, and £2O in the case of men wearing chevrons. The rate of pay ie--by distance, 2d. for half a mile or under, aed 31 for each mile or more than half a mile; by time, Gd. per hour, or 2d. for a quartet' of an hour. When taken by distance, the Cornmiseionaire is to go at the rate of three miles and a half an hour, if walking; when taken by time, he is only expected to do two miles and a half an hour, because the distance in that case is generally longer. For carrying parcels, ho may charge ld. per mile extra for every 7lbs, exceeding one stone; but he is strictly forbidden to demand anything more than the tariff entitles him to take, and is specially enjoined in the rules to receive his pay in a proper manner. The tariff for engagements per diens of ten hours is 314,, and for the half day 2s. On being engaged, whether for a short or long period, the Commissionaire most &ve a ticket to the person employing him, and ho must execute his work without delay or loitering. Each man takes what he himself earns, subject to certain drawbacks in the na ture of subscriptions. If, for instance, he does not, on joining the corps, already belong to a sick or benefit fund, he must subscribe to the one established by Captain Walter, of which the entrance fee is 55., with a weekly payment of 3d., entitling the subscriber, in the event of illness, to an allowance of 7s. a week for four months, and half that amount for the next two months; after which all payments cease. Illness resulting from drunkenness or immorality does not entitle the sufferer to relief. The medical superintendence of the corps has been undertaken by the King's College Hospital, and an honorary physician is attached to the body. In case of death £3los, is paid for the funeral, which is conducted according to military usage. There is also a general fund, for the payment of all expenses incidental to the working of the system, including the sala ries of the non-commissioned officers ; to which fund each Commissionaire pays eis. on joining the corps, and a monthly subscription of Is. All the Eaton moreover, go to this col lection, and every man wno obtains a permanent situation contributes 10s. to the smile. To these payments must be added another, of Is. s .. a week, for the uniform and equip ments; yet these are not regarded as the property of the individual, but of the body, and whenever a commissionaire leave the service ho must deliver in the whole of his equip ment, the 'value of which is estimated, according to a fixed scale, 17 a committee of the general fund. On joining, moreover, every man bas to deposit a sovereign as a guaran tee of eeaad condition and proper subordination: in case of die sal, the sum is forfeited, lent is returned, minus the d tion of any sums fairly chargeable against the man, A the depositor voluntarily resigns. Every commis alto, also, on joining the corps, must be provided with 4 it, consisting of a decent supply of clothing, or, if he does not possess this, it will bo provided for him, and the cost debited to his account; and he must pay not less than a shilling a week Into a saVinga bank or toilet approved instinitiort i thn principal not to be withdrawn while the noon remains a commissionaire. It will be seen from this that the drawbacks from each individual's earnings are rather serious, and the earnings themselves mast ba good to reader employment rotitablet The ftent-elass men are often engaged by the week (at a salary of froth 15s. to 205.) in Olnie'S, public office's, and houses of business., And ala extremely useful in a variety of mays, Visiting and complimentary cards, books, nev. , saeers, or circulars aro delivered, at a special tate of pay. by these useful servants of the public; and to this end the metropolis has been parcelled out into separate blocks, of about 500 housess distinguished by a nartie or number. Some of the inch Bette as priVate watchmen; some as drill sergeants in schools; some as copying clerks in commercial establishments. From 70 to 80 are now em ployed in these capacities. The harrarks Ate open at al hours of the 24, and a reserve is appointed for night duty. The delivery of handbills having reference to robbery or serious casualties is said to be remarkably quick ; and on ce i 1 quarter the management distributes 30,000 copies of a circular containing the rules and regulations, and general advertisements. All the commissionaires must attend Divine worship on Sundays and special days, each being at liberty to go to the church or chapel of his own religious body, but the whole parading at the ap pointed spot in the mornings except under very special cir cumstances. The barracks are places of residence, as well as the official head -quarters. About 34 single men live there at a low rental, and some eight families, pieTashaenbtlayndcoonfstphiecuCoourns.iniaslt i nowo nai r c e o s ti h s a i s s t recentlyumt men itself , 38 w u n h d o e r r the v e l e s a boysde r leadership l a p s of apprentices,Sergea liteo bo taught t t h au e g b h a t n m d- u m si a c s , te a r s , well as to receive a plain general education. The number of performers was at ono time larger than it is now ; but entertained we hope it w ill aga i n augment as the men acquire greater mastery by l ong wor ki ng together. Daring the last sum mer or tw o , the menaclers by in theS t. pe J r a fa tn : e rr s: A s ne P os ark of have the been agreeably Commissionaires' band stationed in the pretty green space near Spring-garden-gate, called the Cambridge Enclosure. Though the music could of course be heard as well outside as inside, many were found to pay 3d. admission (for the sake of the greater seclusion, as well as for the benefit of the corps), and Id. for the programme; and in some weeks as much as £lOO has been earned, and divided among the musicians according to proficiency. INNS OF COURT. The following is a prospectus of the lectures to be delivered during the ensuing Educational Term by the several Readers appointed by the Inns of Court : CONSTITUTIONAL LAW AND LEGAL HISTORY. The Reader will trace the History of our Constitution from the accession of Edward VI. down to the lowest period which the time allotted to the course of the lectures will enable him to reach. He will dwell particularly on the legal and judicial his. tory of each reign as recorded in the Statute Book, the Vo • lume:of Reports, and the State Trials. In his private classes ho will begin with the Norman Conquest, and pro ceed in regular order through each successive reign till his course is ended. The books to which he will chiefly refer aro as follows : Blackstone's Commentaries, by Kerr; Rapin's History of the Period, The Chroniclers, Hallam's Constitutional His tory, Brodie's History, Burnet's Works, Lord Clarendon's History, May's History, Hayes's History of Conveyanc ing, Starkie's Law of Libel, State Trials, Statute Book and Reports of the Period, Coke's Institutes, and Somers's Tracts. EQUITY. The Reader on Equity proposes to deliver during the ensuing Educational Term a course of nine lectures on the following subjects :—I. On Implied and Resulting Trusts. 11. On Charitable Trusts. 111. Ou Relief in Equity against Penalties and Forfeitures. IV. On the Nature of Legal Mortgages. V. On Suits for Redemption and Foreclosure. The Reader will continue with his Senior and Junior Classes the general courses of Equity already commenced. Ile will also continue in the Senior Class, and commence in the Junier, to explain the leading rules of pleading and procedure in Equity. THE LAW OF REAL PROPERTY. The Realer on the Law of Real Property proposes to de liver in the ensuing Educational Term nine public lectures on the following subjects:—l. Conditions of Sale. 11. The Doctrine of Election. 111. The Doctrine of Equitable Conversion. IV. The Law of Copyholds. In his private classes the Reader on the Law of Real Property will continue his course of Real Property Law, using the work of Mr. Joshua Williams and Mr. Tudor's Leading Cases on Conveyancing as text-books. JURISPRUDENCE AND THE CIVIL LAW. The Reader on Jurisprudence and the Civil Law proposes in the ensuing educational term to deliver nine public lec tures on the following subjects-1. The Roman Idea of Dominion, and the Origin of the Distinction between Legal and Equitable Ownership. 11. The Modes of Acquisition of Property by the Roman and English Law. 111. The Comparison of the Rotuma and French LAW respecting the Transfer of Property with the English L•nv upon the same subject. IV. The Roman Testament. V. The Right of Search. In his private class the Reader proposes to continue the course of the Roman Civil Law, beginning with the second book of Justinian's Institutes, using Sandars's edition of that work, and the Systems Juris Romani of Mackeldey as text books. The Reader in his private class will discuss various points of International Law, using the work of Wheaton as his text book, COMMON LAW. The Reader on Common Law proposes to deliver during the ensuing educational term nine public lectures, as under. The first lecture will be introductory to the Law of Con tracts, and in the subsequent lectures will be considered— I. The Three Classes of Contracts, with their respective Characteristics. 11. The Nature of and Ingredients in a Simple Contract. 111. Mercantile Contracts, with the lead ing Statuter which affect or regulate them. IV. Negotiable Instruments. With his private class the Reader will examine seriatim the various subjects above set forth, using the following books for reference--Smith's Leading Cases and Mercantile Law, Broom's Commentaries, and Story's Treatises on Bailments and Principal and Agent. The Reader on Constitutional Law and Legal History will hold his first public lecture at Lincoln's-inn Hall on Wed nesday, Jan. 20, at 2 p.m., the classes meeting in the Benchers' Reading room, and his private lectures on Tues days, Thursdays, and Saturdays, at 10 a sa., the first class meeting on Thursday, Jan. 21, at 10 o'clock, "rhe Reader on Equity will hold his first public lecture on Thursday, Jan. 21, at 2 p.m., at Lincoln'ssien Hall, the classes meeting in the Benchers' Reading room, and his private lectures on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, at a quarter past 3 o'clock and a quarter past 4, the first class meeting ou Friday, Jan. 22. The Header on the Law of Real Property, &s., will hold his first public lecture on Tuesday, Jan. 19, at 2 p.m., at Gray's-inn Hall, the classes meeting in the North Library, and his private Lctures on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, at a quarter to 12 to a quarter to 2, the first class ' ru ja d n en . 20, ce and the Civil Law will h o ld the classes me e ti ng i n th e Middl e private le c t ures on T ues d ays , hi e s re f r en s g t l t public T eolecture sl o i n Friday, J an . 22, at 2 p tn., at the I\friheimdudrpslledetTtyLesim,barpanlredyS,Haaittnuild;dahyi-ss, at a quarter to 4 p.m., the first class meeting on Saturday, Jan. 23, at a quarter to 4. The Reader on the Common Law will hold his first public lecture on Monday, Jan. 18, at 2 p.m , at the Inner Temple Hall, the classes meeting at the Inner Temple Hall, and his private lectures on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays at a quarter to 12 a.m. to a quarter to 2 p.m., the first class meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 19. The Educational Term commences on the 11th of Jan., and ends on tho 30th of Match. The first public lecture of th!s course will be delivered by the Reader on the Common Law, on Monday, Jan. IS, at p.m. The first meeting of each private clacs will take place on the usual morning or evenirq of meeting after the first pub lic lecture oL the same subjtet.—By order of the Council, WrEsTuuny, C,, Chairman. A COOL IMPOSTOR. ..._—__+______ About three wee;a ago a dashing young fellow , with a smatter of the eociii,:vtongue, sporting a bombast and dark moustache and a hap atiount Z.. jewellery, made his appearan ce a t W e st Itarti:"°l' and took up his locale at a refreshment house in Church -street. He represented himself as E. IL Howard, of Transept Villa, Norwood, London offices at 90, Cannon-street, and chemical works in Hackney -road. From his address and appearance credence was given to his statements, and he was entertained in the most sumptuous style. He said the ebjact of his visit to this part of the country was to erect chemical works, the steam communica tion to the continent being a desideratum, which would prove highly lucrative, and a great induce ment for such erection. The "works" had to be erected in Jauuary, and as he would require the assistance of several clerks a young man named Nelson entered into an agreement—which is now in the hands of the police —to occupy the position of general clerk, commencing with a salary of 175 a year, to increase £25 a year for six years. He had gained several friends among the frequenters of the coffee-rooms at the principal hotels, and on a few occasions, having accidentally come out without his purse, was welcomely supplied with anything he might desire, but he never would take more than a sovereign. The niece of the party whom he had honoured as a lodger lost her heart under the influence of his amorous importunities; and as time advanced he became more loving, and was determined tO thew the fair lane his wile. He ob tained the consent of the atitif i and etas ea desirous of manifesting his wish for the weifare of the bride expeatant4 that before the consummation of to ?rriage he purposed to make n thOtie go settlement of £2OO a year on her, as a guard against the uneertaintias of lafge Monetary apteetlations. The household of the restaurant were all highly elated at the "great catch" the young lady of the establlgtirtiedt had made i and the happy day was looked forward to as an event of no small moment in the annals of this prosperous town. The dashing ulantfaaturer was sensible of his own position, and expressed his eagerness that the day on which they should be united should be kept in a truly aristocratic style. Great preparations had to be made, and all were alive and in happy expectation, when, to the utter dismay of the loving niece and the astonishment of all the household, the gay young man decampea. The aunt then began to consider the great expense she had incurred in regaling this vile deceiver, and, summing up his expenses, she went to the police to seek redress. It has been ascertained that the fel low booked to Ferryhill, and he is supposed to have gone north. Information has la:en received that he has been playing the same game at Leeds and Mid dlesborough ; and, in order to stop his " little game," Superintendent Dixon, of West littrtlepool, has communicated with the police of Newcastle, Sunderland, and other northern towns, who will more than probably "put the stopper on."—New castle Chronicle. Horniman's Tea is choice and strong, moderate in price, and wholesome to use. These advantages have secured for this Tea a general preference, it is sold in packets by 2,280 Agents, HLE SUSPECTED MURDER BY ACONITE Last evening Mr, John Humphreys, Middlesex coroner, resumed at the Grey Eagle Tavern, Grey Eagle-street, Spitalffelds, the investigation into the circumstances of the death of Mrs. Eliza Marna, aged 31 years, who was sup- posed to have died from the effects of aconite. Inspector Osborne, A division, watched the caso for the police authorities. The vicinity of the court was densely crowded in consequence of the deep interest excited by the cage in the neighbourhood. The deceased was the widow of a master tailor, and car ried on business at 34, Grey Eagle -street. She for some months cohabited with her foreman, Mr Beecher, a married man living apart from his wife. He had been a bankrupt. Deceased and he did not live happily together. On the evening of Thursday, tho 19th November, they had been up stairs together about an hour, when he came down into the kitchen. She followed directly after and caught him by the arm, and asked him what he had been giving her. Ho said to those present that it was only "some head and stomach pills." She became so affected that shortly after wards she vomited violently. Severe convulsions of a strange character, not dissimilar to those ordinarily re sulting from the action of strychnine, supervened in about an hour, and continued with but little intermission until she died at four o'clock the next morning. Dr. Gayton made a post mortent examination of the body, but could find no natural cause for death. The stomach was sent to Dr. Letheby for analysation. No poison could be found, but the vomiting might have dissipated the traces of it had it been administered. Dr. Letheby stated, moreover, that he could not reconcile the symptoms, which were very remarkable, with natural causes. It was at that stage of the inquiry thought that if poison had been used, the drug would be found to be aconite and not strychnine. On a sub sequent meeting of the Court, Mrs. Beecher deposed that Mr. Beecher was familiar with the use of poisons in his business, and often talked about administering poisons on rings. Mr. Beuley, a surgeon in the Hackney-road, deposed that a young man had, some weeks ago, purchased an ounce of aconite at his shop. He said that Mr. Beecher was not that person, as the man who made the purchase was a fair young man. Mr. Richards, surgeon of Woolwich, deposed that about two months ago a young man came to his surgery and asked for aconite, and was refused. He then asked questions about the action and effects of strychnine, prussic acid, and other poisons. Mr. Richards then, on being asked if he could identify the party, said, " I cannot recognise tor certain any person in the court as the man." ' When the proceedings were resumed last evening, Mr. Pithrow, constable, stated to the coroner that several parishioners had given him information, and were prepared to prove that the party who was supposed to have gone to Dr. Beuley's surgery had since that time dyed his mous tache and whiskers, which were then light, black. It was also stated that Mr. Richards, after the court had closed upon the previous occasion, had stated that, having had an opportunity of seeing Mr. Beecher nearer than be fore, had recognised him as the man. It was found, how ever, that Mr. Richards was not now in attendance, but he sent a telegram confirming the accuracy of this statement. The Coroner said that even it' they could actually trace aconite into the house of the deceased woman, and could prove that it had been purchased by a party in the house, a verdict of wilful murder would result in no good to the ends of justice, but perhaps the reverse, as it would close the case, and so shut out any further evidence. For though Di. Letheby's evidence went to prove that aeceased had died from aconite, yet no conviction could be obtained, as the poison being volatile no trace was actually discovered ; and those surrounding the deceased at the time of her death had not, in consequence of their minds not being directed to the action of the poison, given that minute attention to the symptoms that would be necessary for legal purposes. The best course to adopt under the circumstances—it being clearly proved that deceased had not died a natural death —would be to return a verdict that would leave the matter still open for the action of the police. The jury, after some deliberation, returned the following verdict That the deceased, Eliza Marna, died suddenly, at No. 34, Grey Eagle-street, Spitallields, on the 20th day of November; and the jurors do further say that her said death did not arise from natural causes," The proceedings then terminated. A Man Accidentally Shot at Hornsey. Great excitement was occasioned in the parish of Horn sey, yesterday morning, in consequence of a report that a young man had been killed in the Hornsey-road by one of his companions. Inquiries were at one 3 set on foot by In spector Lang don, of the N division, when it was ascertained that a young man of the name of Banks had been shot in Hornsey Wood•lane, Seven Sisters-road, yesterday after noon, and that death had been instantaneous. It would appear that the deceased, in company with a young fellow of the name of Lamb, went out on Tuesday for a little sport, the young man Lamb carry ing a gun. When on the railway bridge near Hornsey the de ceased got on a heap of sand which was lying at the side of the read. At that moment the young man Lamb raised his gun to shoot at a small bird, but it being out of reach he lowered it, and at that instant. the deceased ran down the heap and received the whole of the charge in the right sine just under his heart. The deceased fell, exclaiming, '" tiarry, Harry, come here I" and then expired. Dr. Barker was immediately on the spat, and pronounced life extinct. On examining the body it was found that there was a hole in the side about the size of a crown piece. The young man Lamb was taken into custody by Police constable Moore, 212 N, and when at the police station he was charged with feloniously causing the death of John Banks. He was cautioned by Inspector Langdon as to what he said in answer to the charge, when the prisoner replied that he was about to uncock his gun when the deceased passed in front, and the ceek slipping the gun went oft, and the man dropped. He was sorry for what he had done. Information has been forwarded to Dr. Lankester, the coroner for the district, and it is understood that an in quest will be held at the Hornsey-wood Tavern on Friday. SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS, POST.—In walking along the great thoroughfares of London, those arteries through which the life blood of our commerce circulates in ever-increasing streams ) attention is fixed upon what we see above ground. It is to the palaces, the mansions, the great mercantile establishments, the shops, the traffic, the vehicles, the carriages and horses, the equipages of the great, the carts and waggons of the retail or wholesale tradesmen, that we look at as at once the symbol and the embodiment of our wealth and civilisation. As for the roadway itself, :t is to most people simply a roadway end nothing more. There lies the road ; it is a very good road and it is impossible to conceive what we should do and how we should get on in any sense without it. But there one's reflections on the subject generally end, whenever, indeed, they go so far. But underneath that road there is an amount of money, literally and metaphorically, sunk that almost baffles com putation. If the paving stones, and the concrete bottom, and the subsoil were transparent, like glass. we should see a net of works, a mighty maze, which though not without a plan, would appear to the uninitiated spectator as more intricate and bewil dering than the web of * introcrossing lines at the London-bridge station. Underneath one great thoroughfare runs the subterranean railway from Paddington to the City, the gas and water mains packed away at the sides, and the sewers stowed nobody knows where. Under another, the weight of the air we breathe, fifteen pounds on the square inch, is continually driving backwards and for wards, through an iron tunnel, large cars full of packages—the " Pneumatic Despatch," for the transmission of letters, book parcels, See„ being now as much an accomplished fact underground as the overhouse telegraphs for conveying mes sages are in the air. But, to form an adequate idea of what there is or soon will be underneath the streets of London and its suburbs, we must look to such works as the Main Drainage with its high, low, and middle levels. The Middle LeT - el North Sewer, for instance, when finished, will 'e a sub terranean river, black as the Styx, and equally to be avoided, running from Kensal Green to Old Ford. For a distance of about two miles of its course—which is but a fraction certainly, but still a considerable length in itself—it runs entirely under dwelling-houses. Half of its length, of about 13 miles, has to he excavated by tunnelling. Its cost is estimated at about £330,000 is round num bers. This work is in rapid progress. The High Level Northern Main, running from Holloway to Old Ford, a distance of eight miles, has been com pleted at a coat of £lBO,OOO and some odd hundreds. The Southern Outfall Main is nearly eight miles long, and extends from the Pumping Station at Deptford, under Greenwich and Woolwich, and along the Essex Marshes, as far as Halfway Reach, at Crossness. It has been completed at a cost of £310,000 odd. Though far out from London, yet as connected with these, the whole forming one great work, we may mention the Northern Outfall works, which will constitute the outlet for the whole sewage of the metropolis into the Thames, to which venerable stream it is to be delivered for conveyance to the sea; unless means should be devised for utilising a commodity which, tee manure, has been estimated at being worth a pound per head nor every unit of the population of the city which it drains. The Northern Outfall works are nearly 15 miles long, reaching from Old Ford to Barking Creek ; they consist of a vast aqueduct upon arches or em bankment, and pass over seven streams and rivers, including the Lea, besides two lines of railway ; they are nearly completed, and their estimated cost is about £615,000. The Southern Outfall works are also nearly completed. They consist of two contracts ; one comprises the works for pump ing or lifting the sewage to heights varying from ten to thirty-four feet. Tnis portion will cost nearly £45,000. The other contract consists of the engine and boiler houses, reservoirs, and ancillary works, and amounts to £300,000. Then there is the High Level South Sewer from Ciapham to Deptford, running a distance of nearly ten miles, which has been completed, with a branch to Dulwich, for £217,000. The Southern Low Level Sewer passes from Putney through Wandsworth, Battersea, Kennington, Camberwell, New Cross to Deptford, a distance of nearly ten miles, and when finished will cost about £214,000. The Northern Outfall Reservoir will cover about eleven acres. It is intended as the receptacle for the whole northern drainage of the metropolis of London north of the Themes, the sewage being dis charged into the bed of the river, about three bun dled feet from the bank, and at ebb tide, so that it may be swept clean eown to the sea by the cur rent. The contract for this portion of the works is £161,000. The Deptford Pumping Station, for sitting the sewage, will cost, for both contracts, up wards of £135,000 when finished. In addition to these works there are some branch or subordinate ones. The Ranelagh Overflow Sewer is rather more than a mint long, passing from Kensington to Knightsbridge, and has been completed at a cost of about £31,500. The Acton Branch is rather longer, 'and runs fr(imi Acton to Notting-dale. This also has been completed; its cost was under £lO,OOO. The western area sewers are intended to drain Hammersmith and Fulham ; they are between four end five miles long, and will cost about £56,700. The Bermondsey brt•nch sewers wily. drain the lo cality indicated by their name down to Deptford, and will cost about £107,000. The Fleet Sewer runs across the course ot what was anciently known as the River of the Wells, flowing from Highgate, snd falling into the Thames by Blackfriars, with a width near its mouth large enough at one time to admit small ships up as fee as Farringdon-street. This sewer has given the engineers and contractors great difficulty, in consequence of its having been disturbed by the Underground Railway, where both intersect at Victoria-street, Clerkenweil. The cost, which it is said the Railway Company will have to pay, is estimated at neat ly £25,000. These sums mount up to a total of about a couple of millions and three-quarters as the cost of our utilitarian works. There is also a subterranean survey going on amongst our other un d ergroun d projects. Such are some of the most salient features of the report just issued by the Metropolitan Board of Works. ITERALD.—Week by week the returns famished by Mr. Fermatl exhibit an increase of pauperism in the cotton districts, and s yet the improvements undertaken under the Public Works Act, have not arrested the steady flow of poverty. Until the winter merges into spri ng it i s t o b e f eare d t h ere willbe little amelioration in the condition of the unfortunate operatives, and we have too much reason for believing that it will be our weekly task to chronicle bad tidings from Lancashire. Like the American war, the crisis seems no nearer its end than it was a twelvemonth since. Matters mend only to grow worse again, and improvement ceases hen it reaches a certain paint, leaving large num bers dep e ndent upon charity or parish alms for the- means ea existence . Seeing the course that has with the difficulty, it alm os t b e givesn p b n i r r e t i h ee t d o in e w a h that the public had not re sponded so liberally to th h , appeal made on beh a lf of Lancashire. Had a smiles' amount been contri bated the exhaustion pf fun d s wnt ald, there is little doubt, have incited the friends of the poverty stricken to make an attempt to obtain permanent employment for them. As matters now stand, over £300,000 are yet available for helping those who are leading lives of idleness. If, in connection with this face, we take into consideration the high rate of wages which millowners boast they pay their workpenple, can it be wondered at, when artisans are told that the cotton-trade must revive, that they prefer staying at home to putting themselves to the trouble of journeying into other districts and there learning new callings? We do not for an instant seek to disparage the efforts of the Central Commit tee, nor is it our intention to reflect upon the admi rable manner in which it has dietturged the arduous duties imposed upon it, Our sole object is to point out and insist upon the fact, that the dietress in the North his now come within such manageable limits that there would be no difficulty in putting an end to it altogether. It was a favourite axiom with the Manchester school of political economists that the relations between labour and capital adjusted themselves. Yet we now find that ab solutely Government aid has been evoked, in order that at some future day capital may not suffer inconvenience from a want of labour ! This is as pretty an example of the difference be• tween precept and practice as we could wish to meet with. We may be told that it' the country could absorb the superabundance of labour to be found in Lancashire the demand would have been made for it. In reply to this we have only to ask, how, up to the present time, have those offers of work which have been made to the Lancashire then n e le operatives been responded to ? We could name in stances in which the cotton hands triedft them n e w employments for a few days, and without assigning an y reason for their strange con duct. We believe th at with equal certainty we might People have been re quired anffioremffotrtilsathwavheerbe work people made to supply the want from not even a judicious systemOcafneinsitigirreat.totY l i i n a a s ll b y e ' en promoted ; so that it ma y be safely declared no encouragement has been given to the public to make any great exertions towards finding employment for the operatives. This is to be deeply regretted, as we cannot butfeel that in the existing state of affairs there is more anxiety exhibited for the interest of the millowners than real symp thy for the unfortunate condition of " the hands." If an appeal be made from Lanca shire for work for the operatives, it will, we are positive, bs at once answered ; and if the men them selves will earnestly endeavour to learn new traces they will find teachers ready to instruct them, and employers willing to pay them a fair wage for a fair day's work. As far as we can at present see, the system we recommend must eventually be resorted to ; but it is better it should be adopted at once, and thus place a vast number of w orkPeople out of the reach of those demoralising influences which sur • round an existence of dependence of the worst description. Unless the cotton districts take the initiative, little more will be done for the operatives. Public sympathy for Lancashire is fast dying otri, and in a little while it may have to battle single handed with overwhelming difficulties, unless the present policy be abandoned, and the claims of labour be placed before those of capital. As t o the actual position of affairs in the North, we find, by the last return furnished by Mr. Farnall, that during the week ending the 19th inst. there was an increase of pauperism amounting to 2,046. Phis addition makes up the total number of paupers to 132,676, against 61,264 in the corre sponding week of 1861, and 264,417 in the corre sponding week of 1862 Toe result, then, is, that while upon the year there is a decrease amounting to 131,741, there is upon 1861, when Lancashire was prosperous, an increase of 71,412 persons, o r 116.6 per cent. In judging cf the present position of the cotton districts, it is necessary to bear the figures. we have quoted in mind, as, although the close of 1863 may show a marked improvement over 1862, there is little cause fur congratulation when we CUD,. sider what is the normal condition of pauperism int Lancashire. Besides, in addition to those relieved by poor-law guardians, there are the operatives sup ported by charity, numbering some 50,000 persons, so that in round numbers there are 180,000 steeptd in poverty against 61,264 at the corresponding period in 1861. The cotton famine, then, it may be reckoned, now affects nearly 120,000'persons , and we must remember that while last year at this period pauperism was on the decrease, it is now in creasing, which arises from a falling-off in employ ment in the mills. We must also take into consi deration the fact that some 15,000 persons have disappeared from the returns of relief committees and parish guardians, they having either left the neighbourhood or been absorbed into other occupa tions. In addition, 1,500 are engaged on works of publicimprovement. It is absolutely necessary to recollect these circumstances in reviewing the pro gress of events in Lancashire, and in forming a correct estimate of the present condition of the operatives and the prospects of the cotton trade. So decided is the improvement upon last year that the public is apt to forget that the difficulty has only been lessened, not overcome, and as poverty is once more on the increase, it is pretty conclusive evidence of the mills not being able to assist in mending matters. Indeed, we must confess that as affairs now stand we are getting farther into the wood instead of working our way out of it. POLICE INTELLIGENCE—Yesterday, lIAMMERSMIT li.--LORD HUNTINO TOWER'S DAUGHTERS .—A lady, who was summoned in the name of Elizabeth Tollemache, of Shaftesbury-terrace, liensington., appeared before Mr. Ingham to answer the complaint of her daughter, Frances Eliz tbeth Tolleinaebe, for committing an assault upon her by kicking her in the back. Mr. Sayer, from the office of Mr. E. Lewis, of Marl borough-street, who appeared in support of the summons, detailed to his worship a connection which had existed be tween Lord Huntingtowcr and the defendant. He said that about twenty years ago his lordship, who was then the - •nurable Mr, Tollemache, while in Scotland, formed a with the defendant. A Scotch marriage took young ladies, who were now present •9 time his lordship allowed her 'intil about eight years ago T.ord Huntingtower lies, and paid ' , en the 1i0i... connection . place, and the thrt, were the isenc. For gow- .00 a year to keep the children, when the annuity was reduced, and 4i. then undertook the education of the young £lBO a year. That continued until the nth inst., w. young ladies went to reside with their mother, who wishe,.. to have possession of them. They had since been tamed away, but all they required was protection, and for their mother to find a home for them. The three young ladies were in court, and attracted con siderable notice. They are tall, fine-looking young women, and appeared to conduct themselves with great propriety. The complainant, Frances Elizabeth, aged 18 years, was examined while her sisters remained inone of the ante-rooms. She said she did not know her right name. She had been called Ackford and Tollemache. She and her sisters went to reside with their mother on the sth inst. Her mother told them the house belonged to her nephew, and that they could not remain. They continued to reside with her until the 19th, when the defendant said she would not keep them any longer, and that they must go to their father. Two of them had not any dinner on Sunday, and nothing to eat until the fell -wing day, when they obtained it at the house of a friend to whom they applied for protection. On the Monday witness met with an accident in one of the bedrooms, which annoyed the defendant, and while she was stooping on the stairs to arrange the carpet defendant kicked her in the back. She then desired witness and her sisters to leave the house, but they refused to go. Defen dant then brought a knife and threatened to cut them down if they would not leave the house. She told them that they were tools of their father, and that they should not stop in the house. Witness add her father did not allow her (de fendant) £3O a year to support her nephew's child, upon which she became very much enraged, and turned them out of the house. Another daughter, Elizabeth Frances, was examined, and gave confirmatory evidence. Mr. Taylor, barrister, who appeared for the defendant, also went into details of the connection with Lord Hunting towef Ord defendant, and read an agreement between the parties, by varich his Lordship undertook to pay defendant £6O a-year, and to maintain and educate two of the children. There was a subsequent agreement with respect to the third daughte?. Ho referred to recent law proceedings in the Court of Corrimes Pleas, in which the defendant was suc cessful; and said the young ladies had been sent by Lord Huntingtower to their mother for the purpose of annoying her. The defendant told them that the house did not belong to her, and that if they stopped they must do something fer their living, but they would not work. In answer to a question by the Magistrate, the complainant said that before they went to their mother's residence they had been staying at Eagle HOW e. Mr. Andrew, the clerk, said Eagle House was a Catholic establishment at Brook-green. VV Mr. Taylor said he pitied the young ladies, who had been educated for a different position front that in which they were now placed. They had told the defendant that they were informed by their father that she was paid for keeping them, and they were not to work. He also stated that the defendant denied the charge and complained of the conduct of her daughters. Mr. Ingham said it was a very painful case, but as Lord Huntingtower was not present he should not be justified in making any comment. He thought, however, that the young ladies were to be pitied. Ho then bound the defendant over in her own recognisances to keep the peace towards her daughters, the ut. eea,p , when I‘ 4l : t ...;, )1p red: 1 COUNTRY MARKETS. -A , MELTON MOWERAY-TUESDAY. The following were the currencies :—New white wheat, 42s Od to 45s Od; new red, 39s Od to 42s per 36 stone; beans, 37s to 41s for old ; new sorts, 34s to 38s per 38 st. ; barley, 34s to 38s for malting, and 28s to 30s per qr. tor grinding; new oats, 22s to 25s Od per 24 stone; old, 26s to 30s. HULL-TUESDAY. At this day's market the show of English wheat was seasonable, with a fair demand, and late rates maintained. Foreign was quite as dear. In Spring corn very little alteration. white.... per qr .. 42s Od to 44s Od Old red „ New white .. „ New red ... , Barley.... English malting ' Grinding 24s Od to 26s 6d Saal and Oderbruck Holstein and Danish 3os Od to 31s Od Grinding 2Bs Od to 31s Od Oats English, old 22s Od to 24s Od Archangel and itiga, per st Osl2ld to 13d Friesland and Dutch osl3d to 06134 d Swedish and Danish osl2ld to Oslild Beans ....English, old, per qr New pigeon _ _ New tick Egyptian 3os Od tc 33s 6d Peas .. Foreign boilers .. . Grinding Tares .... Spring, Indian Corn Linseed, feeding crushing i 4os Od to 52s Od Linseed cakes (Hull) L9 5 0 to £0 0 0 Foreign Bl5 oto 9 0 0 Rape cakes 6 0 oto 0 0 0 Bones LYNN— At to-day's market there trl de, with a moderate denial were about supported. White ..44s to 45s / Barley . .. 36s to 378 Ih.d.. 398 to 40s 1 grinding ...... ..338 to 34s Beans .438 to 44s I Oats.. New 388 to 40s 1 Peas —s to UESDAY. was a fair attendance of the id, and the prices of last week COAL frloes of Coal per Ton a MARKET. t the close of the market. s. d. Cowpen Hartley 16 3 West Hartley l6 3 Hastings Bartley 16 3 Eden Main ... 18 9 Wylarn 17 6 West Wylata.. . 1: allier Primrose 14 6 Walls End. A. Ci• Tunstall Hartlepool l9 9 South liartlepool.... 18 9 tieugh Hall 19 0 Kolio° 19 0 South lielloe. l9 0 Hetton 2O 0 . Harton 18 0 50 ; sold. 28. Walls End. Gosforth lB 0 Cassop l9 Ships at market Foreign Mail Packet List. MAILS DUE. Australia and Mauritius, via Southampton ..Jan. 18. via Marseilles Brazil and Cape Vcrds, by British packet. Jan. 4. Cape of Good }lope, Ascension, and St. Helena. Jan. 25. china, Penang,, and Singapore, via Southatopton.Jan. 2. via Blarseilles ...Jan. Falkland Islands.. (iibraltar, via Southampton TAM k ealeutt a), anti Ceylon, via Southampton Jan. 2 via Marseilles Jan. ndia (Bombay), via Southampton via Marseilles j'im. n Portugal.... Nialta, Egypt, and Aden, via SouthamptoN Jan. 2. via 3.larseillezi Newfoundland Oporto and Vigo .. U. :,'. and British N. America, Ly Brit. packet.... Jan. G, by U.S. packet.... by Canadian packet-jan 1. N.C. of Africa, Madeira, and TeneritTe ...ran. 10, Bahamas, via New York Jan. 11. Mexico.. All parts of West Indies, including Chili, Pertly J Jan...—. California. and British Columbia, THE NATURE OF PETROLEUM.—l'elouze and Cahours have studied the oil obtained in large quantities in Pennsylvania, and find it consists essentia:ly of homologues of marsh gas. ADVERTISEMENT.]—Avoid medicines: they always aggra vate chronic complaints, but Du Barry's Delicious Health , Restoring Revalenta Arabica Food, which saves fifty time& its cost in other remedies, invariably cures them, restoring• perfect digestion, strong nerves, sound lungs, healthy liver, pure blood, refreshing sleep, functional regularity, and energy to the most disordered or enfeebled. We extract 'a few out of 60,000 Cures :—Cure No. 58,216 of the Marchioness dc' Brehan, Paris, of a liver complaint, wasting away for seven years, debility, with a nervous palpitation all over, bad digestion, constant sleeplessness, the most intolerable nervous agitation, and dreadfully low spirited.—Cure No. 1,771. Lord Stuart de Decies, Lord Lieut. of Waterford, of many years' dyspepsia.—No. 49,832. " Fifty years' indescribable agony from dyspepsia, nervousness, asthma, cough, constipation, flatulency, spasms, sickness, and vomiting.—Maria Jolly." —Cure No. 16,270. Mr. James Roberts, of Frunley, Surrey, of thirty years' diseased lungs, spitting of blood, liver derang,c • Regent-street, London; also ment, and partial deafness.—Cure No. 47,121. Miss Elizabeth Jacobs, of extreme nervousness, indigestion, ,gatherings, low spirits, and nervous fancies.—Cure No. 54,t16. T. Campbell, Fakenham, Norfolk, " of indigestion and torpi dity of the liver, which had resiste i medlic2ailb.t,r2e2ast.ment." In tins,l lb., 2s. 9d. ; 21b., 4s. 6d ; 51b., 1 1 s. ; ; :41b 408. —Barry Du Barry and Co., No. 77, also Fortnum and Mason ; flnd all Grocers and Chemists in every town of the United Kingdom- Births. ttho::::ughter. ASTLEY.—On the 28th inst., at Melton Constable, the wife of Captain Astley, prematurely, of a son. at Eccleston-street, S., tha Bankes, of a son. BA,HN( Hon. Mrs. O STintT.—On the 29th inst., at 7, Grosvenor-street, the La dy A u gusta th S e tu: SYmoris.—On the 27th inst., at Chaddlewood, tho lion. Soltau•Symons, of a daughter. 'Nugent Marriages. ELLIS—MILTort.—On the 29th inst., at Christ Church, Newgate-street, Septimus Ellis, Esq., of The Limes, Bromley, to Maria, only daughter of the late J. Milton, Esq., of St. Mary-axe. M‘DowELL—Comns.—On the 29th inst., at Stint Luke's, west Holloway, _Redmond dements M'llowell, only son of Patrick M'Dowa, IRA., to Sophronia Etty, youngest daughter of the late Hairy James Combs. Esq. Deaths. ASHFORD.—On the 28th inst., at Petersham, suddenly, NVxn. Kerr Ashtord, Esq., aged 59. BELLI.—On the 26th inst., at Bath, Frances, Countess Belli (nee Oxenhant), aged 66. COURTNEY.—On the 26th inst., at Chelmsford, W. P. Courtney, Esq., of Oxtord-terrace, Hyde-park. aged 55. GEESIN.—On the 29th in s t., a t 34. Goldeu-squarc, Geesin, Esq. GALABIN.—On the 28th inst., Mr. George J. Galabin, of West Smithfield, aged 61. KIRK.—On the 27th inst., at Brighton, Henry Kirk, Esq., aged 66. Nicitons,—On the 28th inst., at - Upper. Edmonton, Wm. Nicholls, Esq. Londen: Prinzed and rul.qtahed Uy WILLIANIANDEEWS, of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at TIIE SUN Office No. ft:. Strand, in the Precinct of the 'Savoy, :n the county ot Ididdleoex.—Thurotlay, December 31, 1863. 1