The Sun. — London, England, 1863-08-26 00:00:00

TICE POLISH INSURELECTION. (From the Specia Corres,pondent of the Timcc.) NEAIt CRACOW, Aug. 16. Prince Gortschakoffs account of the circumstances under which Archbishop Felinski was arrested is ecf one of of the most ingenious pi tion that Russian diplomacy hases o put forth for some time past. Several notoriously true statemctnts seem to have been purposely introauced into the document in order to give it a colour of veracity ; and the false ones which it contains in abuneiance are so well put together, and are made with such an air of candour, that the whole is admirably calcu lated to deceive persons not well acquainted with the ficts of the case. According to Prince Carts chalroff the Archbishop was arrested for playing the part of a political agitator, and in particular for having written a letter to the Emperor, in which„ as your readers may remember, he urged his Matesty in the strongest terms to unite the Rasso-Polisla pro vince to the Kingdom of Poland and govern this new Polish State as constitutional King. Prince Gortschakofi' would have the world believe that the Archbishop was punished for this terrible crime s imply by being confined, with all the respect due to his position, in the Imperial Palace of Gatchine, not far is detained Petersburg. But the truth is that M. Feliaski detained at Jaroslaw, in the interior of Russia, having been sent there, not for presuming to offer advice to the Emperor (in a letter published without the writer's knowledge or cnnsent), but for protesting indignantly against the illegal, and in all respects unjustifiable, execution of the priest Kouarski. Readers of Prince Gortschakeff's clever fictions would perhaps like to know how it has really hap pened that an ecclesiastic who was named caly two years ago to the Archbishopric of Warsaw for his supposed devotion to the Imperial Government should now find himself in the same position that the patriotic bishops Rzewuski and Soltyk occu pied when a few years before the first partition they were taken from their places in the Diet, and for their determined opposition to the interference of Russia in the affairs of Poland sent into exile. It will not have been forgotten that when Arch bishop Fijalkowski died in the autumn of 1861 the churches of Warsaw remained closed in consequence of the outrages committed in one of them on the occasion of the Kosciusko anniversary. The great question at St. Petersburg was how to get them opened, and it was resolved in nominating a new archbishop to choose a man who would be able to ,arrange the matter to the satisfaction of the Govern ment. It was not astonishing that 111.Felinski should have been selected for the work, for it was known that in his youth he had been a refugee and a red republican, and that when the aristocratic and de mocratic parties of the Polish emigration were per forming their political farces in Paris, he was named by the latter one of the three dictators to whom the Government of the future Poland of the democracy was to be intrusted. A Polish red republican exile, who had suddenly reso lved to become a Roman Catholic priest , and h ad come to Russia to prepare himself for holy orders, was, indeed, not likely w h a t e ver his other merits, to be a man of strong character. It was at the Roman Catholic seminary of St. Petersburg, under the direction of Archbishop Ho lowinski, of Mohilew, that the ex-revolutionist com pleted his theological studies. The Government, with a keen eye for human weakness, saw that he was a man peculiarly amenable to persuasion, and in fact persuaded him first to become Archbishop of War saw, and secondly, or perhaps simultaneously, to open the Warsaw churches and write a pastoral letter forbidding patriotic manifestations, and espe cially the singing of the national hymn in places of worship. The pastoral letter was written, shown to the Emperor and sanctioned ; but the Archbishop, weak though he might be, had not sold himself to Russia; and when he arrived in Warsaw, and saw for himself what was going on, he became touched by the enthusiasm of his countrymen, and refused to issue an epistle which he felt would not only be unavailing, but would jar upon the feelings of the whole land. But nothing—except the organisation of the Na tional Government—can be kept secret in Warsaw, and the Archbishop's pastoral was stolen from him and sent for publication to the Czas of Cracow, where in duo time it appeared. Its contents excited general indignation, and Archbishop Feiinski was from that time until quite lately regarded as the enemy of his country, and as a mere ecclesiastical agent in the hands of Russia. He bad really be come a convert to the doctrines of the Marquis Wielopolski, and the Grand Duke, the Marquis, and the Archbishop were supposed to form a most har monious trio. Felinski's destiny may be said to have been fulfilled. lle was now member of a triple dictatorship, the only remarkable difference between the dream of his youth and its realisation was that instead of becoming the Minister or revolution he had become the servant of despotism. All went well between the members of the trio, and ill between the trio and the people of Poland until the insurrection broke out. Bat in the month of March Archbishop Felinaki, shocked at the atrocities committed by the Russians, and con vinced that his countrymen would not yield, and that the land would be devastated if the struggle continued, wrote to the Emperor to entreat him to pacify the country by the only means possible short of declaring Poland an independent State. He begged his Majesty to unite the Polish provinces to the kingdom of Poland , to grant this new Poland a con stitution, and to let a common dynasty be the only political tie between Poland and the Russian Empire. This letter shared the fate of the pastoral in so far that it was stolen, sent to the newspapers and published, either immediately after or at the same time, or, acrordieg to Prince Gortschakoff, even before it was placed in the hands of the Emperor. No one can think that it was right to print such a letter ; and I heard personal friends of the Archbishop complain bitterly of the indis cretion as soon as it was known to hove been cora raittei. This time, however, the prelate lost no Popularity by having his secrets betrayed. On the contra r y a.. every one said that Felinski's Polish n ature 1 spoken out at last, and that what be had pre -even sIY done must be forgiven for the sake of his lette r t o th e E mperor . That Archbishop Felinski himself e had cot Prince it to the press is untrue, and case he world Gortschakoff known this to be the bring the accusation not have waited three months to meanwhile, against him. In the offended in other ways. however, the Archbishop had in the Council of Za3.B* Ho had resigned his seat r eligious proeeesio:te, he had refused. to forbid a a lready confin e d to h : and finally, after he had been he protested , as it wasls his residence at Warsaw t, d uty to d o, aga i nst t h e ju (for dicial assassination s i t g matt it wa s nothin lees) of the Abbe Konarski. Thi s last er has apparently escaped Prince Gortschakoirn: It is such a trifling thin g t o ht : en ' o ry altogether. in holy orders, consisted in whose only Of; executed a priest h os ing given religious consolation to the wounded oniyuoGioverernent and dying., It is true the accused the Abbe Elonar ski not insurrection (which as a combatant h e tiatining the hut a!:,, , 0 of getting intoxicated. If all the priests in the Ruisian empire who got intoxicated wore be irn:; . e o, gibbets wolf d he as ple n tif ul in flica courary di.F,tricts of Russia Proper as signp osts in England; but wh ether drunkenness ought to bo regerded as an uffonco worthy of death or not it i s one which never have been proved against the Abbe Konarski, who h 4 known to be a man of perfectly aobcr habits. As to the punishment in on the Archbishop to of Warsaw Price. Gortschakoff canno t but admit himself that he has been guilty of a subterfuge un worthy of most persons in pretending that the Palace of Gatchina was the final place of retirement assigned to him, when he knew that it was only the temporary one. Archhiehop Felinski was detained long enough at Gatchina to give the Prince an op portunity of telling, all E , ,lrope that he 3;v::s there, and to enable hire to explain afterwards, if any cx pl;..nation should be found nteeasary, that ho was there when his letter was written, or at least at the date which the letter burs. A'l this is worse thln thQ system of Nicholas, who never would have allowed one of his ministers to •pitead that x political Qffeader actually La Siberia was staying in the - Winter Palace—though many of Nicholas's victims did enter the Winter Palace to be examined by the Emperor himself, before being sent forth on their sorrowful journey. Ever since the commencement of the Polish insurrection, the Government of Alexander 11. has shown itself more ferocious, and at the same time infinitely weaker and more perfidious than that of his predecessor. Nicholas was very frank on the subject of Poland. "Je la roulerai!" he exclaimed with savage rage when he heard that the country was in aims against him. He denied the right of foreign Powera to interfere in Polish affairs, and, to save trouble, said plainly that he would not accept their advice. Count Nesselrode states in one of his d'ispatches of the year 1831, that it would be better for the Em peror to give up the kingdom of Poland to no matter what Power than be obliged to govern it with a constitution of which, advantage had been and would again be taken to undermine his autho rity. The parchment constitution was then put into a box, and sent in a cart to MoEcow, where it is still kept in a museum of antiquities. The pre sent Russian Government, however, pretends to recognise the right of the Powers that signed the treaty of Vienna to " exchange ideas" with Russia on the basis of that treaty ; but it will no more accept their recommendations in conformity with its stipulations than Nicholas did. Nicholas, when he granted an amnesty to the insurgents of the kingdom of Poland, observed it, but the amnesty granted to the Poles last May was not observed for an hour. Some few who accepted it were let off with commuted punishments, but scarcely anyone asked for pardon, and of those who did ask none obtained it. Finally, Nicholas had too great a horror of socialism and of anarchy of all kinds, and too much confidence in his own military power, to think of putting down the Polish insurrection by arming the peasantry against the proprietors, and inciting them to pillage and murder. The present Government of Russia has acted more basely as well as more cruelly than that of Nicholas, while as re gards mendacity, it can be backed against any Government that ever existed. Fatal Accident to an Areonaut. A grand fete was held on Monday last in the park of Mr. North at Basford,nearNottingham. Among the other amuse meets it was announced that Mr. Cornwell would ascend in his balloon at 6 o'clock in the evening. However, for reasons which will soon appear, his place was supplied by Mr. Chambers, who had previously made many ascents. The balloon was almost new, but of not very large dimens'ens. After it had been fully inflated Mr. Cornwell tried it, and found there would be some difficulty in his ascending by it. Just at this time Mr. Chambers stepped forward and offered to go up in the balloon. Mr. Coxwell was in a perplexity, and feared the balloon would not carry his weight. Cham bers said he was lighter than Mr. C xwell, and wished to make the ascent. After some conversation it was agreed that Chambers should go up, but Mr. Coxwell told him not to attempt an ascent unless he felt quite confident he could manage the balloon. Chambers replied that he had no fear about managing it, and accordingly he was allowed to make the ascent. The balloon rose steadily. and was carried somewhat rapidly in a north-easterly direction towards Nottingham. It proceeded as far as Arnold Vale, when it was seen suddenly to collapse while still at a considerable altitude, and then to fall quickly in an unshapely mass. Some young men who were near the spot where the balloon fell hastened to render assistance. The balloon heaved and fell as it descended, completely covering the car, and ulti mately both dropped in a field near Scour-lane, three miles from Nottingham. The car struck the ground and re bounded several feet, and then fell again, when it was caught hold of by the young men and stopped. At the bottom of the car lay stretched the body of the unfortunate amateur aeronaut. He was lifted out and found to be just breathing, but quite insensible, having his handkerchief in h a mouth. He was conveyed to the neatest dwelling, and all means adopted to restore animation, but without effect. Drs. Robertson and Maltby afterwards saw him, and it was discovered that his left thigh was fractured, and some of his ribs on the left side were broken, but they considered it very probable that the unfortunate man had died through suffocation, as the handkerchief which was found in his mouth had been evidently placed there by himself when he found himself in danger of being stifled by the gas from the collapsing balloon. Chambers wa:- a married man, 36 years old, and leaves a family. His father was an aeronaut. As soon as the fate of Chambers was known, the music and amusements at the fete were sotpped, and the visitors gradually dispersed. At, inquest was held yesterday afternoon (Tuesday). John Mayfield said, about 20 minutes to six o'clock on Monday night ho saw the ballono going os er Scout-lane, Arnold. It was going along very steadily, when suddenly it was driven into a cloud. Witness and his companions ran down a hill and saw the balloon again, when it was descending rapidly. The balloon flapped about as if there was an escape of gas. It then came down to the ground. Witness die, not see any one in the car. After it had fallen it rebounded about two yards. He went close to it and found the balloon nearly empty of gas, Ho looked in the car and found the deceased, who gasped three times and then died. He saw a white pocket-handerohief in his mouth. There was one sandbag in the car, It did not rain until after the balloon had fallen. William Turton said he was with the last witness 'when the balloon fell. He saw no one in the car, and thought it was empty. All the gas appeared to be escaping from the balloon, and it went in all forms, When the car reached the ground deceased was found in it, gasping for breath. He died in a few seconds. There were no grappling-irons in the car. There had been no rain upon the deceased or the balloon. His clothes were perfectly dry. Sergeant Blasdall, of the Notts police-force, a aid he saw the balloon descending with rapidity. He went up to it and found the two last witnesses rubbing the hands, chest, and feet of the deceased. Witness afterwards took posses. sion of the balloon and car. He examined the balloon, but could find no rent in it. Two of the springs of the valve were disattached, and the rim was broken in three places. , Mr. Coburn, superintendent of the Midland Institution for the Blind, Nottingham, said the deceased had been engaged in that establishment as a teacher of weaving and basket -making. He was about 37 years of age. He was a married man, and had left a widow and five children. He was exceedingly temperate in his habits. Deceased was the son of Chamb.rs, the veteran aeronaut. Mr. Henry Coxwell, of Tottenham, Middlesex, said he was an aeronaut. He had accepted an engagement to go up in a balloon at the Basford fete. He brought his own bal. loon and all its appendages. This was a new balloon, and he had not made any ascents in it himself. He began to fill the balloon on Sunday evening about 8 o'clock, and finished at half -past son Monday evening. He intended to go up himself, and got into the car several times, but the balloon would not lift him from the ground without any bal last. After he had tried it a third time deceased entered the circle and spoke to him. Witness had known deceased and his father for 15 years. 'Witness said "I am in con. siderable difficulty. The gas is heavy end unsuited for balloon purposes, and I find that it will not raise me." He replied " I am a lighter man than yourself ; perhaps it will just take me." Witness said " I know you have had some experience. If it will raise you with one bag of sand, and you can manage the balloon, I will accept your offer." He seemed pleased with the opportunity of making the ascent. He th e n got into the car of his own accord, and 'witness found that it would just raise him. Witness again asked him if he had full clovniftindeeenecethteonmeaanuatigeentehaehbimallonoent. to a H g e e and to go about a mile. Witness ob ereitphlieerdh, ig " h Y o e r s.;' ar, ' l s ie in le s e tr k u e c d ti e o a n x s ieu w H sly s e served that, althoughttoheembaplttlyoonomwaes2rztlily:itesase: immediately began unnecessary, and contraryt to o , d s w o i s tn o. ess e petting shouted to t t o h s e e e deceasedtherisirising o ‘i b e r of the balloon s c vl h ao e lw c v k ley e d a . lTithtli little way. uid e It as i hadly have then b e car entirely of his own free down wards. Deceased got into the moveden done horizontally y opening and d e w Th il e l, te an w d e w s nitehoeugtreamnyeupteorfsumasoinoeny paymentonthep abrettwofeewnittnheesms. whatever. 'Witness knew that he had ascended many times before from Cremorne-gardens and other places. He saw never ascended with him. His father had. v thethe then sentballoon a mandescending after him rapidly a into carta t o darkrender cld' s i ands ta nc About an hour afterwards he heard of the accident. As a scientific man, witness believed he could say how the acci dent occurred. After deceased had ent e red the heavy cloud o cloud, et. the balloon broke into sunshine or a clear atmosphere, and the iinth g ai a c s av e t x : p Qu a t n gc : l l :i e : d very rapidly, streaming out of the neck or safety. valve, which is always left open. By being found with the handkerchief in his mouth it is evident that he g wli th it e ih might have been prevented by open. rag the upper valve a very short distar.ce. 'Witness sup- Posed v.,m3 that deceased became insensible from the gas, pro bottom oft he car, ' valve-line round his wrist and vio lentlyopen,agtut) wrist it kept the valve valve, In all probability he fell to the a v n e d go, : pt s eetcli t n h bat t e 3y ivltosaslivneg full t c dh o ti em r cord gasmw was round his balloon naturally elon the card became greater a gas encaped. Had the cord net been y s! rAealitsn ttheohne fart. to niotethinasreslw wrist the from the balloon, no gas could not possibly have ~,,,,,, tear or fracture having- been founTin The proceedings were not over wi le t. II our parcel was de spatched. A horrible nights since at Mores series ( o D f r e o r m irn e) e : l Awflasrrec:rra,:ni.tted three Gardan, with her cltle,st arid youngest song, w r i , (l :7 2 amued love farm house, were; all murdered and the premi s o u ßs ' 4 ,, a tire. The i;tate of Ow lmyjies loft no doubt as to the , i - R i e w:_ s u Toe second eon, who is sui'Vosed to be u , :derer and in . - ceadiary, bez.n THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, AUGUST 26, 1363, ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE. HOME CIRCUIT.—CROYDON, Aug. 25. (Before Baron Bramwell and a Special Jury.) WOOLLEY V. POOLE.-EXTRAORDINARY TRIAL. This was an action to recover £4,000 from the Sun Fire Office upon a policy of insurance against fire effected in that office. The defendants pleaded several pleas, but only two of them were material, and they involved a question of very considerable importance, as by one of them the plaintiff was alleged to have made a fraudulent claim in respect of the property that was represented to have been. destroyed, and by the other he was charged with having . wilfully caused the fire that was the subject of the inquiry. Mr. Bevil!, Q.C., Sergeant Ballantine, Mr. Merewether, Mr. 11. James (these gentlemen being specially retained), and Mr. Kosher were counsel for the plaintiff. Mr. Lush, Q.C., the Hon. G. Denman, Q.C., and Mr. Garth were counsel for the defendant. The cause created a good deal of interest, on account of the amount at stake in the inquiry, which is altogether nearly £30,000, and also on account of the pleas which the defendants had felt themselves justified in placing upon the record. As the case was expected to last several days, the gentle men who had been summoned to serve on the special jury were very anxious to be excused from being sworn upon the jury, and Baron Bramwell excused some of them, and even tually the learned counsel on both sides agreed that the case should be tried by ten jurymen only. A very well executed model of the premises was placed upon the counsels' table, to enable the jury to understand the points in the case. Mr. Bovill, in opening the case to the jury, said that they were about to enter into an inquiry of a very long and trou blesome description, but when they reflected upon the very serious character of the imputations that were cast upon the character of the plaintiff, he was sure they would not con sider any amount of time ill bestowed on such an investi gation. The object of the present action was to recover the sum of £4,000 upon a policy of insurance against fire effected by the plaintiff, and when they considered the nature of the issues that were raised by the company, they would see that it was impossible for the plaintiff to remain under such imputations for a single moment longer than was abso lutely necessary, and these had, therefore, been sent down for trial at these assizes. The plaintiff had resided for a great many years at Camden House, Kensington, which was represented by the model that was on the table, and those gentlemen of the jury who looked at the model, and who had seen the extent of the ruins, would be able to form a very good idea of the character of the buildings. As he had before stated the plaintiff had resided at Camden House since the year 1847, and down to the morning of Sunday the 23d March, 1862, on which day the whole of the premises,with the exception of some of the outbutlaings, and everything it contained, was entirely consumed by fire. If the question to be decided merely had been in reference to the insurence for £l,OOO, it would not have occupied an hour in being disposed of, but he was bound to tell them that besides this policy of £l,OOO upon which the present action was brought, other insurances had been effected that altogether amounted to £29,000. The sum might appear to be a large one, but he believed he should be able to satisfy them that, large as it was, it would be utterly insufficient to restore the building and its contents to its former posi tion. The learned counsel then went on to explain that the policy f0r.C4,000 now sought to be claimed upon was effected on the 16th August, 1855, in the Sun ; in 1859 another in surance was effected in the same office for £6,000, and ano ther policy for £2,000 was effected in the Hand-in-Hand, making the total sum for which the building alone was in sured £12,000. Another policy was effected subsequently 1 upon the fixtures and fittings, in the Sun for £4,000, and in the Hand-in-Hand for £3,C@J. A policy for £5,0u0 was also effected with the Sun upon household goods, • china, glass, &c., and also a policy. for £5,000 with the Atlas upon pic tures ; so that the whole sum that was undoubtedly in volved in the inquiry was nearly £30,000. He had informed 1 them that the fire took place in March, 1862, and the whole of the building and its contents were entirely destroyed,and 1 in due course the usual application was made to the insu rance offices with which policies had been effected. The first dispute that would seem to have arisen between the parties was with regard to the policy upon the furniture, and an action having reference to that subject was set down for trial in London; but, owing to the pressure of business in the courts of law there, it was found that it could not be tried, and it was therefore arranged that the present action should be first disposed of, as Mr. Woolley was determined not to rest under the imputations that were cast upon him a single moment longer then was absolutely necessary. The defendants,os they had heard, had placed several pleas upon the record, but it was impossible not to see that the real ground of defence was, that the plaintiff had caused the de struction of the building and the property contained in it by his own wilful act. The amount for which the building was insured was £12,000, and to any one at all acquainted with the nature of building operations, he said that with reference to that part of the case it was obvious that this sum would be totally insufficient to rebuild such extensive premises, and, indeed, he did not bAteve that any dispute occurred between the surveyors of the plaintiff and those appointed by the company upon the point, but, on the contrary, he be lieved that the surveyors had arranged plans for the re erection of the house at the time the transactions occurred that had led to this action being brought. It appeared that the first subject of discussion was as to the contents of the mansion and the value of those contents, and the companies insisted upon having the most minute information in refer ence to this subject. Some delay was occasioned in giving this information from the fact that Mr. Woolley, who nar rowly escaped with his life at the time the fire broke out, was ill, and consequently unable to give the necessary infor mation ; and when the information was completed, the jury would be able to form some idea as to the extent of the pro perty by the fact that the inventory filled a volume of consi derable size, and it contained 1,000 items. The learned counsel went on to say that while these discussions were going on upon the subject of the furniture, it appeared that some rumours had got afloat about the fire, and these rumours at last got to the ears of the insurance companies, and they, and other persons, some of whom he believed thought it was impossible for any fire to be accidental, at once jumped to the conclusion that this fire at Camden House was caused wilfully. The result of this was that the plaintiff was required to give a full account with regard to the furni ture and where it was bought, and what price was given for it. He was unable to give complete answers to these inquiries, for the reason that a great deal cf the furniture consisted of old and rare articles, a great many of which had been pur chased abroad, and at every place where old and valuable curiosities could be obtained. The plaintiff, however, did give them all the information in his power—he allowed them to examine his servants, nothing was concealed ; and after all this the insurance companies turned round upon the plaintiff; and said that the whole transaction was a fraud on his part, and that he had wilfully destroyed the property; and upon these grounds they came forward and defended the present action, It was impossible to conceive a more seri ous charge than this could be made against any man, and it was one for which only a few years ago his life might have been forfeited ; and this being the case the jury could easily conceive what the feelings of Mr. 'Woolley must be at having such a charge made against him, and could under stand his determination to have the matter fully inveati.. gated at the earliest possible moment. If there had really been any foundation for such a serious charge against the plaintiff, it would have been their duty, as it appeared to him, to have had the matter investigated by a a magistrate, but they had not done so, and down to the present moment the plaintiff was utterly ignorant of the grounds upon which the Sun Fire Insurance Office and the other com panies, who were, no doubt, all acting in concert, felt them selves justified in bringing forward this serious charge. The plaintiff (Mr. Woolley) would be called before them. He was told that he was to be cross-examined upon every incident of his life ; but he would be placed in the box, and would fearlessly face a cross-examination with which he was threatened. He had not at this moment the slightest notion what the circumstances were upon which the charge that was made against him was founded. They did know that the defendants had made inquiries in every direction, and one of those inquiries he believed was, whether Mr. Woolley was in the habit of sleeping in a nightshirt. (A. laugh.) He believed that in the hurry of escaping from the fire, Mr. Woolley did put on a day. shirt, and this was one of the points, so far as he could learn, upon which the charge of ar.on was to be supported ; but if this should prove to be the case, it would only show what miserable expedients the defendants I fire entertained that slightest s fi t r h e i hint were compelled to resort to. Ho would observe at this point of the case that 10 months were suffered to elapse after the was other give li t any than accidental, aI Usingsuspicion it was not until u de s n pi t c a i l o , the plaintiff had expressed a determination ,to enforce the policies that he was met by the charge that ho had wilfully caused the destruction of the property. The learned counrel then proceeded to inform the jury that Camden House, the place in question, as they were proba bly aware, was a very old mansion, built more than two centuries ago. It was formerly occupied by Lord Camden. The Merry Monarch had held some of his revels there, and it had also on several other occasions had the honour of en tertainin royalty. Th c plaintiff after he became pos sesse d g ' of it took a pride in fitting it up in the most s pl en did an d There was a theatre attached to the magnificent manner., fel was de elicated to the purposes of amateur a building', wh . , trts performances an cone, , and he might state that the whole of the proceeds were de voted to charitable purposes, -P-1 OM had been expended in and that between £3,00 0 and ..., , beautifully fitted up, and this manner. The place was so . , articles of art and contained so many rare, extraordinary 'vertu, that it was considered a most interesting rank and sta tion,, many of whom were ii, exhibition, and it was visited by persons of the highest • dueed to take drawings of some rn ed counsel here the more remarkable portions of it. (The le - here exhibited ,o the jury a number of the drawings to which he referred.) He then said the jury would be enabled to judge from these drawings what the charaeter of the build ing and its decorations really were, and they would at the same time be able to form their own conclusions as to whether the amount for which the property was it sured was an unreason able or en extravagant one. The fact was t_li,t it was Mr. Woollky's hubby, or, if they liked to term t I Er), his folly, to deLD:are this place in the most extrava ga.ut and g ,, Tge•Ats manner, and his brother-in-law, Captain Cope, and his sister seemed also actuated by the same views. He might mention, as an in • stance of the lengths to which Mr. Woolley went to gratify his feelings in this respect, that upon one occasion being de sirous to purchase some rare carving work that was in en old farmhouse in Essex, finding that the owner would not allow it to be removed, he actually bought the estate in order that he might obtain possession of it, and having done so it was taken out and placed among the other curiosities in Camden House. In fact he was justified in saying that Mr. Woolley was a very extraordinary man. Although pos sessed of considerable wealth he kept no horses or carriages, and even the servants who were dressed up in silver and blue livery on great occasions were not his own servants, but waiters and persons liv , ng in the neighbourhood who were hired for the purpose. In fact he spent all the money he could get in beautifying and decorating Camden House in the way he had stated, and he had borrowed a large sum of money of his brother and sister-in-law upon mortgage of the property, the whole of which was devoted to the pur poses he had alluded to. The learned counsel then pro ceeded to state that it appeared that in November, 1861, Mr. Woolley took a house at Brighton, and he believed an attempt would be made to show that he had removed a por tion of the property from Camden House to Brighton ; but he should be able to prove to them by the most satisfactory evidence that there was not the slightest foundation for this suggestion. With regard to the supposition that the property had been destroyed wilfully, he should be in a position to prove that, although the amount of the insurance which was effected was certainly very considerable, still that in point of fact, if the whole sum were paid, the plaintiff would in reality obtain little or no benefit, for the £12,000 for which the building was insured would not cover the expense of its re erection, and nearly the whole of the remainder would go to the mortgagees. lle might also state that the surveyors of the fire office had had the fullest opportunity for looking over the property and ascertaining its value, and that they took pretty good care of their own interest in the matter by declining to take the risk except upon a double and hazard ous premium, which was 4s Gd per cent., and the amount of the annual premium was £l3O. Mr. Bovill next pro ceeded to state that the llaintiff had at one period occupied Tunbridge Castle, and during his absence his wife was un fortunately drowned. It was supposed that she was feed ing the swans, and that she fell into the water ; but it was never known how the accident actually happened. To show, however, the course that had been taken with regard to the plaintiff, and the unfounded assertions that were made re • specting him, he might state that " they " had actually circulated a report, founded upon the fact to which he had alluded, that Mr. Woolley had murdered his wife. Mr. Lush said he did not know who his learned friend meant by " they;" but on the part of the defendants he most positively denied that they were any parties to such a suggestion. Mr. Bovill said that the statement had come round to them, and the plaintiff was well aware of the source from which it emanated. He then proceeded to give a detail of the circumstances under which the fire occurred. The per sons in the house at the time were Mr. Woolley, his butler Crozier, and a man named Temple and his 'wife and son. Mr. Woolley slept in one portion of the house, and his butler occupied a room not far from it. Ha was awokfr , by some noise, and upon his opening his bedroom door he found the house was in flames, Ile awoke his butler, and he at first attempted to give an alarm to the man Temple and his family, but the fire prevented him from doing so, and he and Crozier were compelled to make their escape by a back staircase. They then proceeded to give the alarm to the other inmates of the house, and Mrs. Temple in her fright jumped out of the window and was seriously injured, and her husband and son got out of the burning mansion by means of the fire-escape. Mr. Woolley had nothing on at this time but his shirt, and he was removed to a neigh bowing house, and in consequence of his exposure to the cold and wet—for it was raining at the time the fire hap pened—he was rendered seriously ill, and this to a certain extent prevent e d hi m f rom giv i ng t h e information that was required by the in surance compan ies so quickly as they wished it, Baron Bramwell asked the learned counsel whether he in tended to give the jury any information with regard to the origin of the fire. Mr. Bovill said they had no information whatever upon the subject; all they knew wa., that no one was in the hoase but the persons he had mentioned ; but the man Temple had stated that on the evening previous to the fire he had been engaged in trying sausages, in what was called the green-room of the theatre, for his sapper, and this might account for the fire, as the flue of the chimney of that room communicated with a beam that had been found to be on fire on a previous occasion. In these old houses, however, it was very difficult to tell how a fire happened, and he was not in a position to give the jury any further information as to how the fire in question originated, He added that the whole family were examined, everybody about the premises was subjected to a searching inquiry by persons connected with the insurance companies, and he submitted, therefore, that if there had really been any ground for supposing that Mr. Woolley had been guilty of the serious crime imputed to him, the course they should have adopted would have been to have given him into custody, and have had the matter fully investigated by a magistrate. They had not ventured to do this, and it was clear, in his opinion, that having got hold by some means or other of the knowledge of some cir cumstances which in their opinion amounted to something like suspicion, they had resolved upon defending the present action, in the hope that they might induce the jury to give them a v er di c t, rho learned counsel then proceeded to nar rate some of the other circumstances he proposed to give in evidence, and concluded a most clear and able speech by observing that the only issue the jury had to decide was, whether the plaintiff, without the slightest motive, had wil fully destroyed that property which it appeared to have been the sole object of his life to obtain possession of The following evidence was then adduced : Miss Anne Barker said—l am the sister of the late Sir G. Barker, and I am acquainted with the plaintiff, and be came so shortly after the death of his first wife, in the winter of 1858. Miss Cope, the sister-in-law of the plaintiff, and her brother, Capt. Cope, were living with Mr. Woolley. I had heard that some drawings of portions of Camden House had been taken and sold for charitable purposes, and I my self made some drawing s which were sold for the sam e pur pose. Some of the dra win g s that were p roduced wer e made by me, and some by L ad y Belcher. Ver y little f urniture t a .a p r p ni myeerusreinfrom them draewrainwg:: and my reasons for leavi ng ou t the that the drawing wo u ld h ave ap peared confused it the furniture had been introduced ; for the same reap)). I left out chandeliers and vases in some of the drawings. I was well acquainted with the house, and it was so extremely beautiful that it was a pleasure to go over it. There was a large quantity of statues, pictures, and beautiful carving and gilding all over the house. There were also a number of old pictures, and a great many were in panels in the drawing-room and library. The furniture was very rich, and all in character with the decorations of the house. There was a great deal of very rare and valu able embroidery in some of the rooms, and the carpets were also of a most valuable description. There was a theatre at toe back of the house. I played there a great many times. The performances were amateur ones, and got up for the purposes of charity. The first I played at was got up by Lord Raynham. Upon one occasion £B9 was received, which was devoted to charitable purposes, the proceeds of one per formance being given to the Warehousemen and Clerks' School. Thet e was plenty of scenery for the purposes of an amateur theatre. Mr. Woolley took very great interest in his house. I never saw any one take so much interest in an establishment. It was all the amusement he appeared to have, and he and Miss Cope were constantly engaged in making alterations in the different rooms, There was no alteration in the furniture or anything else at the time the fire happened. lam quite sure none of the furniture that was in Mr. Woolley's house at Brighton had been brought from Camden House. There were two very large looking glasses in the ball-room and the drawing-room. There was a profusion of valuable looking-glasses all over the house. I last saw Camden House in November, and at that time I did not miss anything. Cross-examined—lf the large glass in the drawing-room had been removed it would have been missed immediately. I first went to Camden House about three or four years ago. Everybody who went there was always shown all over the house, at least over all the show rooms. I was introduced to Mr. Woolley by Mrs. Milner Gibson. In the year 1861 I was constantly at Camden House. A great many of the pictures were portraits. They consisted of portraits of saints, Madonnas, and Holy Families. I should think there were three hundred pictures altogether. I think that the chandeliers in the drawing-room were intended for candles. I have seen so msny as 500 persons present at some of the parties that were given at Camden House. The guests had supper, wine, and the usual refreshment. The season at Camden House lasted so long as the London season ; but it was no use to give parties when there was no one to go to them. I was aware that Mr. Woolley was in town at the time the fire happened, but I did not see him at Camden House. I met him at Mr. Milner Gibson's three or four days before the fire happened, and he told me he was only going to stop in town a few days. It had been arranged that there should be an amateur performance at the time the fire took place. I knew Crozier, the butler, as one of the servants of the family. He-examined—Mr. Woolley's sight is very bad, and ho is obliged to have souse one to accompany him when ho goes out after dusk. Lady Belcher said—l have been acquainted with Mr. Woolley since 1818, and I know his wife before she was married to him. I was in the habit of going to Camden House down to the period of the fire, and I concur in what was stated by Miss Barker as to the character of the furni ture and the decorations. The house was crowded with fur niture. Some of the pictures were very good, particularly the portraits, and many of them were by old Italian masters. Lady Belcher then identified same drawings of different pictures of the mansion, as copies of drawings she had her self made, and said they were quite correct. Cross-examined —The pictures I considered the most valuable were those by the old masters, and there were, perhaps, about twenty of them. I heard Mr. Woolley say that he brought some of those pictures from Florence. Sir John Burgoy no said—l am a general officer in the army and Inspector of Engineers. I have known the plaintiff, and have been en whet I call terms of friendly intimaey with him for a great many years. I havo been frcwwitly to Camden Ifouse, and I agree with the two last witnesses that it was most magnificently furnished. It ap peared to be quite a mr...nia on the part of Mr. Woolley to have everything in his house of the most re'enercht , cha racter. Everything was most beautiful. Cross-examined—l have been to the theatrical perform ances at Camden House upon several occasions. Count Mellor do Woelze said—l have known Mr. Wool ley 11 or 12 years, and I have stayed at Camden House on several occasions. I agree with the last witnesses as to the magnificent character of the furniture. I remember Mr. Woolley going to Brighton in November, 1861. At that time there was no difference in the state of the furniture. Mr. Woolley was to have breakfasted with me on the morn ing after the fire—but I received a letter from him and saw him the same morning at Dr. Hamilton's, in Grafton street, and that gentleman was attending him. Ho appeared to be very ill. Cross-examined—l was at Camden House three or four days before the fir©. I only saw Temple the man who had charge of the house. Mr. Woolley wag not at home. Re-examined—When I saw Mr. Woolley at Dr. Hamil ton's he appeared in a very excited state. Colonel Alexander Macdonald said—l have known Mr. Woolley eight or ten years, and I frequently used to go to Camden House formerly, but I have not done so for the last two years because I have been engaged. Everything in the house gave me an idea that they were articles of great rarity and value. There was abundance of furniture ; in fact, the house appeared crowded. One or two other witnesses wore examined, who gave evidence to the same effect. . The Court then adjourned. SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS. POST.—If any hope could be indulged in that the dreadful crime of murder could ever come to be so abhorred in this country as to ensure thereby its rare occurrence, the faith might perhaps be cherished by the reflection that it is very seldom found to be the deed of any save the lower and consequently unedu cated classes. We might trust that as education advanced there might at last remain scarcely any left so utterly uncivilised as not to be restrained in their ungovernable passions by the feeling of social responsibility, if not of religious sentiment. The crime might be expected to almost die out, and fell into the same semi-desuetude as arson or" bucking." But every now and then cases arise painfully prov ing to us that the most smoothing processes of in telligence or refinement aro totally inadequate to quell the natural ferocity of some savage natures, and that we are as far off from totally eradicating murder from among the higher classes as we seem to be from even diminishing it in the lower. It must be admitt e d th a t w h en i n di v id ua l s somew h at lifted above the common herd by station and intel ligence once pass the boundary of moral restraint so tar as to compass, ever in thought, the taking away the life of a fellow-creature, the ride that sweeps them onwards seems to be irresistible. Our later Instances of it h a v e b een a pp a lling in the wild in• tensity with which the designs, once formed, have been carried out. The fiendish hypocrisy, yet un swerving tena c i t y w ith w hi c h P a l me r murdered by Inches his companion, Cook, the whirlwind of savage hate which urged on Roberts to his assault upon Captain Murray; the unpiteingcowardice pervading another deed o f v i o l ence which official but mistaken leniency prevents us from characterising as we could wish, have all something in them more horrible and appalling than the stab of a clown half drunk with spirits, and half mad with anger, or the blow of a ruffian. whose only hop e o f plunder is the death of his victim. But we should be careful lest we allow the amazement and curiosity with which we regard this intense d eve l o p men t o f human frailty to obliterate our abhorrence and degenerate into interest. At t hi s moment an i nstance of i t i s ringing through the: land, which for the extraordi nary contradiction of the passions engaged, the wondrous inconsistencies of th e various feelings successively elicited, the p a lp a bl e p re meditation of the crime, the deceit which succeeded in concealing the intent, and the implacable ferocity with which it was finally carried out, will scarcely find any parallel even in the pages of fiction. We deprecate whilst we fear the mental obtuseness which may create these incidents, and the sympathy accorded to the crimes of fiction ; but we trust that a plain statement of them may rouse a little common sense, and exhibit them in their real abhorrent light. As far as they can be gathered from the coroner's in quest, the examination before the magistrates, and the confession of the murderer himself, they appear to be these. A Mr. Robert Victor Townley, de scribed as a handsome young man of five-and-twenty, had become the accepted suitor of a Miss Goodwin, a young lady, residing with her grandfather at Wigwell Grange, in Derbyshire. Miss Goodwin subsequently desired that the engagement should be b . roken off. M r . T own l ey acqu i esced, but des i red an interview, and for this purpose repaired on Friday last to Wigwell Grange. He arrived in the neigh bourhood in the morning, and, by questioning an acquaintance, evidently ascertained the truth of what he had before suspected, namely, that Miss Goodwin preferred another to him. He, however, expressed himself to the acquaintance that " she had a right to please herself, and that he would not stand in her way." In the evening he proceeded to the Grange, and was admitted, and shortly after wards Miss Goodwin quitted the house with him, and strolled about the grounds. She had, however, previously told a servant to come in half an hour to say that "she was wanted." The servant did so, and found the two apparently conversing calmly enough. But as they returned to the house Mies Goodwin told the servant that Mr. Townley had said to her that " if she 'would not have him, he would take care she should not have any one else." Atter remaining in the house for about an hour, Miss Goodwin saying she had promised Mr. Townley another interview, again left it, despite the remon strances of the servant, who thought it hezardous after the threat which had been made. At about half-past eight a farm labourer returning home, alarmed by groans, proceeded in search of their cause, and found Miss Goodwin in a lane adjoin ing the grounds, mortally wounded, but staggering in the direction of her home by the aid of the a all. She told the astounded labourer that " a gentleman had cut her throat," and entreated him to take her home. Whilst tie was endeavouring to do so Townley came up, and to the man's natural ques tion replied—'' I stabbed her ; she has proved false to me." He then seemed to relapse into tenderness for her, repeatedly kissed her, using fond expres sions, and finally assisted in carrying her up to her home, himself holding her head. The poor girl died on the road. She was found to have received two mortal wounds—one in the neck dividing the carotid artery, the other in the shoulder , which had extended to the spine. Her fingers were . also cut, as if the poor thing had endeav oured to defend her self after the first attack. The murderer main tained during the whole time the most calm and demeanour. He repeatedly avowed him self to have committed th e crime, voluntarily gave himself up to the constable who had been sent for, and himself produced out of his pocket the clasp knife with which he had perpetrated the h orr id deed. Before he we nt away in . custody he calmly looked again on the face of his unhappy victim, said he felt "all the happier now he had done it, , and hoped "poor Bessie was in a better world." All these facts were proved in evidence before the magistrates oo Monday; and after being asked if he had anything to say in answer to them, and hav ing replied "nothing,"it i▪ s needless to say he was duly committed for trial. This is one of the most cold-blooded and appalling murders on record. We trust its incidents will excite only abhorrence for the murderer. A letter was alluded to at the examination which, connected with the result, would seem to prove that the dreadful deed was premeditated from the very beginning. It only adds another hateful ingredient to the rest of the vile qualities evinced in the matter. Smotheri▪ ng his horrid intent, the miscreant must have entirely deceived the poor girl into his acquiescence in her wishes. He must have thus secured the second interview at a later hour, and then have persuaded her to leave her own grounds, for what may have seemed to hi m a more fitting place. When we think that his vi c ti m was an unprotected girl, that lie had lov e d her, and hoped to make her his wife, ho w h e cou ld ever have brought himself to have struck the cowardly blow, baffles all conjecture; and perhaps we shall never know: But we do know that he could stand aloof and watch her staggering along the wall-side with two mortal wounds—hi: deed—draining her life fast away. Had not the labourer appeared it is probable he would h ave allowed her to drop in the ditch and die there, unmoved. He is an object of utter abhor rence, and we trust will be regarded only in that light. We could wish that he may be punted only in his true colours—that of a pitiless brutal murderer. We would fain hope that his case rui4 lit be divested of the interest and publicity which seem to foster only the delusions of a maudlin sentiment. We would willingly be spared " the portrait of the victim," or " the photograph of the murderer," together with numerous " views of IVigwell Grange," which are sure to divert the per ception of the public from the true end stern appre elation of thee atrocious act. the murderer, gentleman though he be, expiate his crime as such crimes should be atoned for. Let him remain in his cell till his hour arrives, with the cure know ledge that he is accursed among rren for . his in famous deed. Let him be brought forth to die the death that is only too good for him, among the execrations of such as can look upon such scenes ; but let him not be commiserated or excused upon this earth, for he is one of the most cowardly and unpardonable murderers on record. HERAT,D.—The last luxury of a thoronethly des potic Government has b provided for tile peop! f , of the Northern States of America. PrLsidLnt Lincoln and 1 , 43 Cabinet have inaugurated, as .an auxiliary to their public means of information, a peculiar state institution, rather obsolete with us, which was perfected in the French Empire by the elder Bonaparte and the Duke of Otranto. To see the strides of the giant republic towards all attri butes of Imperial autocracy is a sight to bewilder even Mr. John Bright, and to turn him, were it possible, from his accustomed and ready disposition to trace all corruption, and wrong-doing, and ne farious political action to that incubus over English society, an aristocracy. In the brief two years since the American brothers came to open blows, we now trace, in the words of the King of the Brobdignags, a heap of conspiracies, rebellions, murders, massacres, revolutions, banishments, the very worst effects that avarice, faction, hypocrisy, perfidious ness, cruelty, madness, hatred, envy, Ins-, and ambition could produce. There is not a single crime which monarchs, oligarchies, or dictators have committed on the Old Continent, that has not found—though we are regarding but a reriod of twice twelve months—a parallel in the history of the New Continent since the outbreak of the American civil war. An immense debt, with a paper currency ; a standing army of the most brutal character, if all that is told of it be true ; the con script law, the press-gang, and high bounties, all working at one and the same time, attend the mili tary career of the Northern half of the United States. A terrified and bridled press, place-hunting and favouritism, venality and the sale of offices, the most shameless frauds in the army and navy com missariat, elections determined at the point of the bayonet, the invitation to the helots of the soil to supplement the army, imprisonment or banishment for citizens speaking adverse opinions to the Go vernment—make up a list of excesses such as the worst European chaos of empire never evoked in so brief a space of time. Death has been so busy with the army that the Cabinet has not yet invited him to aid their civic legislation. There are two pictures, however, which we would fain present from the latest intelligence respecting both the American citizens who stay at home, and those who go out to fight their country's battles. The local journals tell us that "the substitutes for clraughted men are kept in a large room " in the guard-house, on the second story, and are strongly guarded. "The guard carry Springfield muskets loaded with cartridges, in which the powder is topped by a bullet and several buckshot." Was there ever a more terse and sufficient description ? The corre spondent of the Hartford Times is, indeed, most choice in his epithets, and takes care to point out that any attempt at " skedaddling" would be pratty sure to result in a " wounded substitute," or a dead one. These substitutes are evidently a very slippery set of recruits, and must have impressed the autho rities with a notion of their facile and elastic views of military enlistment, tojustify the treatment they receive when once on the books of a regiment. Whenever one of them wants to go about town on any errand ho is accompanied by one—generally two—armed soldiers ! Just as if he were a convict or a criminal doomed to a soldier's career as a penalty, with incidental death in the background. When these recruits are equipped with uniforms—weapons at first of course are not put in their hands—they are quietly, we read, taken off in squads of six to twenty in the cars, and sent to the Consbript Camp at New Harlem. No wonder at the lack of disci pline. or personal carriage, or pride in appearance, so frequently reported of them, and which, amongst us old-fashioned people, all go to make up a smart soldier. The unhappy civilian left in inglorious ease behind is equally, however, the object of the unceasing attentions of his paternal Government. The spies of the State Department are übiquitous. These emissarit s of Mr. Seward, writes a public correspondent,even from the English side of Niagara, evidently after close experience of the wretches, are both amateur and professional, male and female, American and foreign. "They catch up scraps and odds and ends of conversation ; they sit Yankee fashion, balancing their chairs, with their heels on the window sills or the balustrades, pretending to read the newspapers, but straining their ears to catch the disjointed fragments of the confidential talk of the bystanders." Of course these vermin are everywhere, but that it should be thought ne cessary to transport them across the Border, and infest the watering places resorted to by English and Canadian visitors, is only a proof how thoroughly they are at last engrafted into the " ways and means" of President Lincoln and his subordinates. Doubtless we may find them, and have found them, at Liverpool and in London ; but happily, to Englishmen they are of no more moment than the creeping things which are always thought to inhabit old furniture when it has been neglected or laid aside to decay. Each American community, whether at New York, Baltimore, or Cincinnatti, is, it would seem, haunted with alt the " terrors of old-fashioned Italian espionage." In all public places, and especially at the hotels, the gentleman who greets you "casts an uneasy glance over his shoulder as he shakes hands, fidgets in his chair, as he starts the monotonous subject of the weather, and at last fairly begs you to take him into your private room, as no talk can safely be carried on in these spy-beset public apartments." No wonder at the continents) watering places being this year reported to be more crowded with Americans, of every stamp, than they have ever been known to be. It wanted but this infamy of a paid and organised espionage to fill up the measure of the folly and fear of the Washington Government. Assuredly there is the direct promise of absolutism in its most hideous form, in this suspicion, which inflates itself into tyranny and injustice, by hired spies and informers. A. military dictator, supported by a mercenary army, is the next degree of govern ment to that which seeks to muzzle free speech, or misrepresent it, by depending on the hireling eavesdropper. And though no one but General Schenk or General Butler has attained a sufficient attitude of cruelty and brutal and merciless oppres sion to entitle him to be pointed out as the leader in a coup d'etat, with the event will come the instru ment to execute its scope and purposes. No more better illustration of the rotten condition of " Yankee politics" has yet reached us than the tecit acceptance of the spy system, by which the lightc.,,,t word msy he e legerated to the importance of the gravest deed. Tue nation which acquiesces in the employment of this secret police is already as rz?uch gagged and mannacled as though it spent its life in prison. Next to the terrors of a life, where silence alone is a safe condition, many will say that the penalty of death must be the one final evil in store. CRIME IN FRANCE. The Tribunal of Correctional Police last week tried a contractor for public works, named Lecoq, on a charge of having attempted to corrupt a public functionary. It ap peared from the evidence that, on the 6th June last, Le coq, who had contracted for the supply of certain materials for public works, called on M. Ambroise, an agent of the Ponts-ct-Chaussees, residing at St. Denis, charged with the passing of the said materials, and after a conversation with him, secretly left on his desk a bank note for I,ooof. Lecoq having admitted that he had left the note in ques tion, the Tribunal declared the charge fully proved, and condemned him to four months' imprisonment, a fine of 300 f., and the costs of the prosecution, The Tribunal ftirther ordered the confiscation of the I,ooof. note and directed that it should be given to the hospital of St. Denis. 1 he police have just succeeded in arresting t wo shoplifters who have for some time been exercising their craft to the prejudice of lacemen, dealers in embroidery, and jewellers in Paris. Many complaints had been lodged with the police, but all efforts to discover the thieves proved fruit less, until some of the tradesmen remarked that the robberies had always coincided with the visits of an ele gant lady, accompanied by a nursemaid in peasant cos tume, carrying,a baby dressed in very rich embroidery. A watch was accordingly set on these two persons, and the day before yesterday an agent of the detect ive police caught the nurse in the act of secreting some valuable lace while her mistress was pretending to make purchases. It was then found that the pretended baby was a doll with a waxwork face and hands, while the body was hollow paste board, and served as a hiding-place for the articles stolen. The two women were taken to the Prefecture of Police, and on searching their lodgings a considerable quantity of stolen goods was found, as well as a great number of pawn-tickets relating to property which had been obtained in a similar manner, The Civil Tribunal of the Seine has just given judgment in an action brought by the Countess de Rosselmini Gua landi and Baron de Maistre, as represen , atives of the late PAincess de Bethune, against the temporal administration of the church of St. Thomas d'Aquin, to recover a sum of 120,000 fr. advanced to the administration by their relative u nder the following circumstances. Some time since the City of Paris offered to purchase a house worth 250,000 fr. for the residence of the cure, on condition that one-halt of the amount should be paid by the temporal administration of the church in the course of ten years. The offer was accepted, and the Princess deliethune, to enable the adminis tration to fulfil the conditions, made a donation to the church of 120,000 fr., of which she was to receive the interest as long as she lived. On the decease of the princess, her heirs de rvineied the return id the donation, on the, grflund that the administration could not legally accept it without fleet ob taining the authorieation of the Government, which hail never been demanded. After bearing commel for both parties, the Tribunal declared the donation null and void, owing to the absence of the authorisation required by law, and condemned the administration of the Church to refund the amount with interest from the time that notice of action was given. Full benefit of reduced duty obtained by pur 3hasing Hornimah's pure Tea ; very choice at 3s 4d. and 4s. "High Standard" 4s. 4d. (formerly 4s. Sd.), is tilt sr - m:l7,ost and :nest delicious imported. A g eui 6 i n every town eupp l Y it in packets. FRENCH ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. A t the last sitting, M. Coulvier-Gravier communicated a table of the shooting stars observed from the 17th ult, to the 14th inst., the period of the year during which that phenomenon occurs with peculiar frequency. The maximum number observed per hour was 121, on the 10th inst.; the minimum was 6, on the 17th ult. From the Bth to the 14th (except the maximum above stated), the numbers ranged between 33 and 48. M. Coulvier-Gravier is of opinion that the phenomenon, after decreasing in intensity since 1848, is now again on the increase.—M. Jobart de Lamballe communicated a paper on the regeneration of animal tissues, being a continuation of his former commu nice, ions on the same subject. In the present porter he • establishes the fict that the periosteum (the membrane which covers the bones) is insensible.—M. Coinde an nounced that certain insects which invest the Nerium Oleander and other plants in Algeria possess, in a high degree, the tinctorial qualities for which cochineal is so highly prizod.—M. Evrard announced that nitrate of potash is contained in the dregs of wine in a sufficient quantity to be remunerative, and may be obtained by col lecting the crystals which are deposited in the vats by the dregs, and subjecting these crystals to repeated re-crystallisations. The mother liquor which re mains contains a guar, tap of carbonate of potash, which may be extracted by evaporation and calcination.—A pamphlet was received from M. de Simone, in which he describes a disease which is called " attossatura" in Sicily, and causes the death of many young mules. A few days after their birth, and after having sucked their dams, they fall sick and die without any apparent cause. M. de Simone states that this disease is attributable to a previous morbose state of the dam, which suddenly becomes fat after the first months of gestation, and has her udders filled with a serous kind of milk. ABSORPTION BY TIIE SKIN.—Dr. Parisot has addressed two papers to the Academy of Sciences on the absortive power of the skin, for the purpose of testing the efficacy of baths. The following substances, viz., iodide of potas sium, the yellow cyanide and chlorate of the same, sulphate of iron, belladona, fox-glove, and rhubarb, he has tried upon himself, and some of them upon patients whose state required it, The baths were taken early in the morn- , ing. fasting, the temperature of the water ranging between 28 and 30 degrees Centigrade, that of the air between 18 and 27. The duration of the immer sion was from one - to twu hours for Dr. Parisot himself, and from 30 minutes to one hour for his patients. The results obtained were, thit salts and colouring matter of rhubarb dissolved in water are not absorbed by the skin ; and that vegetable poisons, such as fox-glove and atropine, dissolved in water, are not absorbed by the skin, because after a lengthened stay in the bath nu symptoms of poisoning are experienced. Dr. Parlsot's experiments on water, chloro form, and ether are peculiarly striking The body of an infant which had died 12 days alter birth, was laid in bathing-tub, the water of which was incessantly renewed by a permanent influx and efflux of the liquid ; the head was kept above water. At the end of 24 hours, the body, which weighed 2,0',0 grammes before the immersion, weighed 2,055 grammes. Beicg afterwards left for 21 hours in the labo ratory, and then weighed, it was found that it had lost the five grammes it had gained in the bath. Now the epider mis has a sebaceous coating everywhere except on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet ; it remained therefore to be seen whether the imbibition had been effected throughout, or only at the hands and feet. In another series of experiments, the palms and soles of certain subjects were coated with turpentine, while tho,e of others were not; and the result was, that the for mer did not increase in weight by immersion, while the latter did. Hence the palms of the hands and soles of the feet must be considered the only points of the human body through which imbibition can take place, they being de prived of that sebaceous coating which acts as a protecting varnish all over the rest of the body. Chloroform, alcohol, and ether dissolve the sebaceous matter more or less com pletely, and hence the substances dissolved in them may penetrate to the derma. Dr. Parisot dissolved five centi . grammes of atropine in 20 grammes of chloroform, he then steeped cotton into the solution, and applied it to the fore , head of a person; the extension of the pupil became visible after the lapse of three minutes ; two minutes later it was complete, and equal on both sides; after a quarter of an hour, the skin was found to be red and burning. All these symptoms disappeared in the coarse of an hour. Substitut ing alcohol for chloroform, the action was greatly retarded, the dilatation not taking place until after half an hour's ap plication, and the redness and heat of the skin were hardly perceptible. Atropine disolved in water acidulated with acetic acid produced no effect whatever. COUNTRY MARKETS. V LEEDS-TUESDAY. New wheat was in moderate demand to-day, and the cur rencies of last Friday were not materially altered. A little more inquiry for old. LIVERPOOL-TUESDAY. At our market to-day there was a good attendance of millers, and fresh American wheat experienced a fair business at a reduction of 2d per cental upon the week. Barley and peas fully as dear. Oats and oatmeal were negl•.cted. Indian corn rather lower in price. Beans dull. Flour (American) a moderate sale, and prices in favour of buyers. MARKET HARBOROUGH—TuEspAy. The prices of wheat were is in favour of the buyer to day. Barley steady. Oats slow, at rather less money. —White wheat, 48s to —s; red, 41s to 47s per 36 stone. Malting barley at —s to —s per qr.; grinding, 30s to 36s per 30 at. Oats, old, 20s to 255 . ; new, 19a to 22s per 24 st. ; beans, 37s to 40s per qr. SHEFFIELD-TUESDAY. A fair supply of wheat, and the demand ruled inactive, at is to 2s per qr lower. Barley the same in pr ice as last week. Oats slow. Beans quite as dear. Red wheat, per load of 3 imperial bushels...l6s Od to 17s Od White 71 ...18s Od to 20s Od New red c .lBs Od to 19s 01 , 71 New white 71 ..19s Od to 20s Od Beans 77 79 ...15s 6d to 17s 6 d Peas, per qr 4ss Od to 56s Od Grindin g barley, per qr 3os Od to 32s oa l4laltinditto, „ 34s Od to 38s Od Oats , 9 228 Od to 27s Od Flour, is 7d to 2s ld per stone. MELTON MOWBRAY-TUESDAY. Wheat was in liberal supply, but the demand was heavy. —The following wore the currencies :—New white wheat, 468 Od to 60s Od ; new red, 43s Od to 46s per 36 stone ; beans, 38s to 42s for old; new sorts, 37s to 38 sper 38 st. ; barley, 34s to 38s for malting, and 27s to 30s per qr. for grinding; new oats, 24s to 27s Od per 24• stone. DUBLIN-FRIDAY We are unable to report any improvement either in ilia nominal prices or demand foi any description of old grain• The supply of new increases considerably, and all met a very cautious demand to-day. s. d. e. d. Wheat, white 11 0 to 12 0 Do., red lO 0 to 11 0 Do., new Barley Oats Do., black — 0 to 0 s. d. s. fl. Beans.. ..... 0 to 0 B 3 to 7 0 Rapeseed .... 0 to C Oatmeal l2 0 to 14 0 Bakers' flour Indian corn Foreign Mail Packet List. MAILS DUE. Australia and Mauritius, via Southampton. ..... Sept. 18. via Marseilles Sept. 12. Grazil and Cape Verds, by British packer. Sept. 3. Cape of Good Hope, Ascen s i on, and St. Helena Aug. 29. China, Penang, and Singapore, via Southampton Sept. 1. via Marseilles Aug. 27 , Falkland Islands Gibraltar, via Southampton India (Calcutta), and Ceylon, via Southampton.. Sept. 1 via Marseilles.... Aug. 27. India (Bombay), via Southampton Aug. 25. via Marseilles Sept. 4. Portugal.... Sept. 3. Malta, Egypt, and Aden, via Southampt on Aug. 2 0 ' via Marseilles Aug. 27. Newfoundland Oporto and Vigo .. • U. S. and British N. America, by Brit. packet Sept. 2 by U.S. packet by Canadian packet. Aug. 28. W.C. of Africa,_ Madeira, and Teneriffe S e. 10. Bahamas, via. N OW York ........A u g. 27. ;Mexico All parts of West Indies, including Chili, Peru, alifornia. and British Columbia.. .......... I Aug' 28• Births. R.N., o f a daughter. BR I DGES.—On the 23 d inst., at Southsea, the wife of Con' the wife of Major Hnchliff, of a d aughter. inst., at P en tl ow H a ll, E s sex, i Hi ni N a c ia H d L e i r F W F.: l o l r; •S. e ßri 23 d d ges, d SCUDAMORE —On the 18th June, at Muree, Punjaub, the wife of uolonal Seudainore, C,8., 7th Hussars, of a daughter. YOUNG —On the 24th inst., at Hastings, the wife of W 13, Young, Esq., cf a daughter. Marriages. BURGESS—R OXBERRY—On tha 24th inst., at St.Leonard' g t Deal, George Altred, second son of Captain J. BurgeE 6 Gravesend, to Sarah, eldest daughter of Wm. Royberr," , shipowner, Gravesend. VORLEY— BAKER. —On th e 25th i ns t., at Camden-roa d Chapel, Witham Vorley, Esq., of Camden-road to Mary, second daughter of the late Chas, Baker, B5 ( 1 4 of Hermitage House, Brixton-hill, Surrey.. Deaths. BARRINGTON.—On the 23d inst., at his residence, 13 ° 10 Cottage, Barnes, Surrey, Lieut.-Colonel H. Barrington, formerly of the :.3d Light Dragoons, aged 75: HAI\ lILTON.—On the 24th inst , at 22a, Connaught-squa re ' Hyde -park, the Rev. Wm. Hamilton, M. 4. ICING.—On the 21st inst., at 18, Lower Ward, Windsor Castle, Captain John Duncan King, Military Knight f Windsor, aged 74. 111 ASTERS.—On the 25th inst., Joseph Masters, of 33, . 1%1. dersgate-street. WA.LLER —On the 24th inst., at Burford, Oxon, Waller, Esq. London Printed and Pub!ished by WILLIAM A NDItE I ti of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at Tim Sirs Office IC°' / ,44 Strand, in the Precinct of the tiavoy. in the Cou nt y Wedues•tay, August 26 , 10;3. v- PJ Melt on' T •, EXTR. The called t lleetin; The I close o Premiu The_ Govern The the am passes eomme account td., al:14 nately, N` The £BS,CC XIO,CF A b partic sums now 1 The eha rg their Fol street friars Pi Thon Thor T h: total Th the whet polic: maki Bo tion addil At up smul poi( Tt sent Ace , Ant on t E . on 1