The Sun. — London, England, 1863-12-24 00:00:00

T(ONEY MARKET AND COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE. CITY, TWELVE O'CLOCK. REDUCTION IN THE BANK RATE. The directors of the Bank of England at their weekly court to-day have reduced the minimum rate of interest and discount from 8 per cent., at Which it was adjusted on the 31 inst., to 7 per cent. This important measure has not occasioned much surprise, because the recent tendency of monetary affairs prepared the public for it, if not this week, on Thursday next at latest. The return to ap pear this evening is understood to be exceedingly favourable es regards the bul lion, the reserve of notes, and the " other securities." 0 wing to the easier terms lately cur rent in the general market, the bulk of the discount business has been negotiated there, the Bank being excluded from its ordinary share. The necessity has thus arisen for a relaxation, and it will no doubt give an incentive to commercial and other en terprises after the holidays. _ _ . About £121,000 in bar gold was taken into the Bank yesterday. The last week's railway receipts ascertained up to this day are in round figures as under :- 1863. 1862. Great Western £59,330 £56,457 North-Western South- Western Brighton Midland 42,428 40,340 South-Eastern 19,388 18,070 Great Northern Lancashire and Yorkshire.. 35,624 31,614 Bristol and Exeter North-Eastern 54,938 64,259 Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincoln 16,553 14,910 Glasgow and South Western 7,537 7,800 Scottish North Eastern 4,940 4,688 These returns, compared with those of the same period of last year, are, with one or two exceptions, extremely favourable. On the Great Western there is an increase of £2,873 ; on the North Western of £7,165; on the South Western of £2,332 ; on the Midland of £2,088 ; on the South Eastern of £1,318 ; on the Great Northern of £6,051 ; on the Bristol and Exeter of £123 ; on the North Eastern of £679; on the Manchester, Shef field, and Lincoln of £1,643; and on the Scottish North Eastern of £262. The Brighton, however, shows a decrease of £1,217 ; and the Glasgow and South Western of £263. Two O'CLOCK. At Paris this morning (according to Mr. Reuter's telegram) the 3 per Cent. Rentes were 66f. 35c. Heavy. The annexed circular has been issued this morn ing : 40, Lombard-street, Dec. 24, 1863. Gentlemen,—We have to inform you that we have made arrangements for the combination of eur business with that of our friends, Cunliffes & Co., of 24, Lombard-street, on Ist of January next, under the style of Aloxanders, Con liffes & Company. The business will be carried on both at 40 and 24, Lombard street, until the 15th of next month, When it will be conducted solely at 24, Lombard-street, until the premises in course of erection at 30 and 31, Lom bard .street are completed. Trusting that under the new arrangement we shall receive a continuance of your favours, We remain, yours, faithfully, A, & G. W. ALEXANDER 4t Co. The effect of the reduction in the ;Sank rate at the Stock Exchange would probably have been greater had it not occarred on the eve of the holi days. There is naturally a disposition to look for ward to the future with increased confidence in consequence of the altered aspect of monetary affairs, but the chapter of accidents is taken into consideration, and the continued diminution in the stock of bullion at the Bank of France is not lost Bight of by speculators who are in the habit of taki n g every circumstance into careful considera tion. There is, nevertheless, general buoyancy prevailing in all the markets, and most of the favourite securities are at enhanced , quotations. Consols are about k higher, being 944 for money, and 91a I for the account. The New Threes and the Reduced Annuities are 91! ; and Ex chequer Bills, 9s. 4s. die. India Stock, ex div. for the opening of the transfer-books, is marked 218; India 5 per Cents., 106 a ; and the Debentures, 994 In the Foreign Market increased buoyancy has prevailed, and business is more active. Turkish 6 per Cents., 1862, are 71 ; do, Consolides, 471, 48 Mexican, 371 !4-; lireek, 254 i; Spanish Passive, 3 3f, 7 ; Portuguese, 49 I; Italian, 702 -I; and the Confederate Loan, 37 39. In the Railway Share Market the operations have been moderately active, and prices have in most instances tended upwards. Caledonian, Great Western, Brighton, and South Western have ad- Vaneed 55., and Great Northern A Stock, £1 ; Metropolitan and South-Eastern, however, have declined ss. The Foreign and Colonial lines remain at about rormer rates. Bank and Miscellaneous Shares continue in fair request at full prices. London and Westminster realise 80; ; London and Colonial 361. 1; Crystal Palace Stock is quoted 331; National Shipping Company, Ito 1 prem.; Pacific Steam, 11 prem.; Contract Corporation, 3/ 4-1- prem.; and Consoli dated Discount, 11-, 2 prem. BRITISH. FUNDS-ONE O'CLOCK. ---- -- --- - Bank Stock Per Cent. Reduced Annuities B jper Cent. Consols Annuities 9ll i VeW 3 per Cent. Annuities Andia Stock, 1874 Ditto 5 per Cent. 1870 Ditto 4 per Cent. 1888 Ditto Enfaced Paper, 4 per Cent .. Ditto 5 per Cent Ditto 51 per Cent Ditto ditto April, 1864 99k Ditto ditto Aug. 1864 or 66 ilk Stock for Account Ditto Bonds £l,OOO — Ditto under £l,OOO •••• c onsols f or A ccoun t, J a n. 7.. 9l/ 1 1 India Stock for Account, 5 per Cent.... Exchequer Bills, £l,OOO, 2i k 3 per Cent. 9 4 dis Ditto £5OO .. dis Ditto Small FOREIGN FUNDS—ONE O'CLOCK. _A z r a a s z t i r Bonds,iiiaan,n4DlssBit Ditto 5 per Cent p3P9eerracnCedenntlt.B, 5118985592 .... Ditto .... Ditto -58-60 Ditto _pitto 1863 Thrs /i° . T k riP• 1 863, £3O paid 5 is yres 6 Egvptian ?per Cent Cent 93i Ditto S Per C en t ' ~ecood leans - ' lOO i Greek 5 per Cent :18 ... Ditto Account . '.• 24" A ex-Coupons — Ditto Coupons ............ Ditto Account Guatemala 5 per Cent...:::: • • • Ditto Account - Italian 5 per Cent.(Maremra .... .. ............. • • Mexican 3 per Cent ........... " a3r ) 785 Ditto Account .. ........ -- ... a Moorish Imperial 5 per Cent .. 4 X 4 .. .. 37131 1 I -... - ' • New Granada .... . Ditto 2 per Cent. Ditto Deterred Bl Ditto Land Warrants (Hectares) Peruvian 3per Cent. Vitt() Account . Ditto 41 per Cent., 1862 Portuguese 3 per Cent., 1853 Ditto Account Ditto 3 per Cent., 1866, '7, '9, '6O, 62,'3 Ditto Account 491 Ditto, 1863 - Ditto Scrip, £l5 paid.... Russian 5 per Cent., 1822, £ St 92i Ditto 41 per Cent 1850 e Ditto 1860 Ditto 3 per Cent., 1859 Ditto 5 per Cent. 1862 Sardinian 5 per Cent .. . ....... -- Ditto Account Ditto Account Ditto New Deferred • :Ditto Account —. 'Ditto Passive - Atte Account S panish Cert. of Coup nut funded — ~ Ditto Account .. "Ivredish 4 er. Cm' ~,_ , p L. ' 4 .. r k l Bh 6 per Cent. 1854 — -vitto Account Ditto 6 per Cent. 1858 Ditto Account Ditto C. per Cent. lff;' , ditto ‘, ~ .. - .. e .,, ,.,) ,C 1 , .11111 1 - ezuela 3 per Cent. ) - 1 ittA per Cent., 1832 Ditto A 6 ecount — Ditto Account t Dividends on the above payable in London. 11t 9 12 1 per Cent., Ex. 12 Guil 651 Ditto Account... . trench,tto Re ntes, Accoun t 4 5 per Cent., Ex. 25f — Ditt o cons, s; ro ip np (lB63) £42 Bs. 3d. paid — pm TWO O'CLOCK, T - Ditto Account raid. Closing 1 Business --- - ohare, l I Railways. , Price. I done. t 3.14. Bir., Wol., and Str. Val. all 8 P 1 25 !Blythe and Tyne. 10 i Bost,Sleat,andMid.Co all 8 81 at Bristol and Exeter st Caledonian ~ 100 121 121 1201 50 ;Cork and Bandon all 20 Cornwall all 64 7 A gets no di' 10 iDoAl ti 11 Op c.p an. h a all been 10 j Do. B paid to B all ~ 50 Dublin & Belfast June., all 37 39 25 ,Dun.,Pertii,d(;Ab. June. all 16 17 at Edinburgh & Glasgow.! 100 96 98 at Glasg. and S. Western. l 100 107 109 st !GreatEastern, Ord. sts 100 49 50 494 4 st Ditto A stock at Ditto East Anglian stl 100 74 84 st ;GreatNorthof Scotland, 100 st ;Great Northern lOO 125 127 st Do A stock I st Do Bdo st :Gt. S. ani W. of Ireland 100 97 99 st Great Western at I Do Str Val gua. stool; 100 st Lancashire & Yorkshire 100 1111 1114 at !London and Blackwalt 100 72 74 st !Lon. Bright.,& S. Coast 1 00 1074 ' 08 ; lo n at !Lon., , Chat, and Dover 100 43 44 44 at !Lon. & North Western 100 1071 1071 1081 74 st !Lon. & See.th Western 100 101 102 021 2 St !Man., Shef., & Lincoln. 10 0 491 504 50450 50 !Maryport and Carlisle. all 12 5 , Do t shares.. . , all ..... at !Metropolitan all 1114 1121 1124 114 4 St (Midland f. 4.0 Do New st Do Birming. & Derby 100 97 0 50 Mid. (It. W. of irelano all 25 Do. 1 shares 25 Mid Kent 10 Do Cray Line at North British st !Edin., Perth, & Dundee 100 25 t 6 st !Nth. Eastern—Berwick 100 1024 103 103 25 ' Do, G.N.E. purchas, 16.18.4 0 .. at Do Leeds lOO 581 591 at Do York st Do Carlisle.... lOO at : orth London 10 I Do New i9.16.4!N0rth Staffordshire 10 N. and S. W. Junction all 11 114 at Scottish Central st Soot N. E., Aber. stoca 100 42 44 431 I st Do Scot. Mid. stock lOO 98 100 10 :Shrews. and Itielclipool all st ;Shropshire Union at ,South Devon 100 32 33 at South Eastern 100 954 J 64 96} 1 } st ;South Wales st !S. York. and River Dun 100 97 I 9 20 IStalnes, Wok.,andWok all 94 iO4 25 , Stockton & Darlington all ::8 38, 25 Do l7 9 10 , 25 Do New, 1851. 8 7} 7/ t, st !Taff Vale.. . ....... 10 Do B 8 5 64 , 110 Do C 3 24 3 } p 50 (Ulster 25 Do 12.10 Do st (Vale of Neath st iVictoria sta. and Pim 1 100 170 175 at Waterford & Kilkenny 100 at :West Cornwall lOO at W. Hartlepool Har.&R 1 100 st !West Midland -Oxford , 100 at I Do Newport 100 at Do Hereford 100 41iar, 100 Sk 1 stock stock stock 100 stook etook stook stook stook BRITISH POSSESSIONS. stock Railways atlantic St Lawrenet liom.,llaroda,teentlnd Gu. 5 per oeut... ..... Do. New . Do, E. Shares... Buffalo and Laxe Huron Do. Preference ...... liuil alo, Bran t,&Go drich p. ct. bds. Aug. 1, 1872 Do. do. July 1,187 c Do. do. June 1, 1s:I Cleutta. & S. Eastn. (Lin. Cape Town L.- Dock Seri' Eastn. Bengal gu. 5 p. East Indian. gu. 5 p. c. Do. do. G Ext..... Do. do. H do. .. Grand Trunk of Canada Do. Ist Pref. Bonds.. Do. ao. deterred...... Do. 2d Pref. Bonds.. Do. do. deferred...... Do. 3d P. ef. stock ... Do. do. deferred...... Do. 4th Pref. stock... Do. do. deferred. .....1 Gt.lndtarentu.gua.sp.c Do. New gua. 5 p. Do. January, 1852 .. Gt. South.of India(Lim guaranteed 5 per cent. Gt. W. of Canada Sharer Do. New - Do. 8 p.c. '73 witlet opt. Do. 51i p. c. do. '77-8.. I Indian Branch Limited Madras. guar., 5 p. o. Do. 4$ p. o. Extensiou fwd. all 100 Closing Price. 60 c 2 106 167 1 P 1 p 6 6i 8i 9} 10t 1(6 101 103 108 109 lu7 1(8 lip lip 20 21 73 75 59 31 65 67 50 53 48 51 38 42 27 29 22 74 ICBi 1091 11 lt, 1i Dc. 4* d 0. ... Do. Fifth Extension.! 31e1b.Corp. p. c. Linde. Melb. & Hobson's Bay. Do. 7 p. o. nortg. Bde. Newßr unewtok a Quads Claes /1. an d B. Itl.C'da6 pc Ist pt bds IScinde Do. Delhi I Do. do • • Do. Punjaub 4. Do. Do. •• •• • t.g . Do. Indus. St. Flo.) 105& IC6i 10 103 11 104 92 95 86 88 all 100 (100 ' 100 all , , 100 k• 100 106 ;07 100 101 46 100 57 59 S 5 82 84 106 107 11.6 107 Business don. 4tork et ock 57i 4 111 ) 1051 1t..6j OMNIBUS ROBBERY. —Henry Walker, a well-dressed young man, who described himself as, a carver, of High street, Reading, was charged before Mr. Knox, with steal ing a purse containing two rings and some money from the pOcket of Mrs. Susannah Moore, a lady residing at 8. Brewer-sttreet. Pimlico, while in an omnibus in Park-lane, Mrs. Moore said—Yesterday afternoon about five o'clock, I was in an omnibus at the bottom of Park- lane, near the Marble-arch, the prisoner sitting next to me. After get ting about half-way down Park-lane, I having my hands in my muff, I was induced to look at the prisoner in con sequence of his touehing me. I observed that the prisoner was looking me hard in the face, and that his hands were under my cloak. I thought it very su picious, the more so as the prisoner got up and left the omnibus in a hurried manner, and on putting my hand into my pocket I found my purse and contents were gone. Mr. Knox—On which side of you did the prisoner sit? Mrs. Moore—On the right hand side of me, on the side where my pocket was. Directly I' discovered my loss I spoke to the conductor, the prisoner making off just at the time, and the conductor and a gentleman caugh the pri soner and brought him back. While the prisoner was away I searched the omnibus with a lady who was in it, bat could find nothing of the purse. The prisoner pro tested his innocence, but after being placed in the omnibus by the conductor the purse was found at his feet. Edward West, conductor of one of the Royal Oak omni• buses, said—The prisoner got in at the top of the Edgware road, and on going down Park lane got out . in a hurried manner without giving me notice, and was going away, not having paid me my fare. In consequence of what the lady said I seized the prisoner, and he fell. On getting up he made off, but, accompanied by a gentleman, I pursued him down Chapel-street into Mount-street, where we stepped him, and the only remark he made was, "He is gone ; I'll come back with you." We then took the pri soner back to the omnibus, and not seeing a constable till we got to the Victoria Station, there gave him into custody Mr. Knox—Where was the purse found ? Conductor—On the prisoner being put into the omnibus, after it had been searched by the ladies, he went to the far end, and at his feet the purse was Lund. Mr. Knox—That was away from where the prosecutrix had been sitting? Conductor—lt was, sir. John Parish, 140 B, said—The prisoner was given into my custody by the conductor, and the purse and contents were handed to me. The prisoner gave his address at Reading. I have ascertained that the prisoner has been seen in company with men at the Elephant and Castle, and that he is an associate of thieves. Mr. Knox (the prisoner asking no questions)—Remanded him for a week. WESTMINSTER. THE NEW SYSTEM OF SWINDLING BY PRESENTING SHAM CHEQUES TO SHOPKEEPERS.--A gentleman con nected with a West-end very extensive and old established #riat, applied to the magistrate for advice how to act in the following matter. Applicant said that a man of fashionable exterior came to the house he represented, and made a trifling pu! chase of goods, for which he paid. He then selected some other valuable articles, and desired them to be sent to his resi dence at Chelsea. Mr. Arnold—Did he pay for them ? Applicant—No, Sir. Mr. Arnold—What was the understanding about pay ment when tha goods were ordered ? Applicant—lie selected the things, and having done so, said they were to be sent to his house, when they would be paid for upon delivery. Mr. Arnold—What subsequently occurred ? Applicant—Our porter took the goods to his address and delivered them, and although we had taken all necessary precaution, we were defrauded, for he gave the porter a cheque for the amount, which was valueless. Mr. Arnold—What instructions have you given your porter ? - Applicant —That he was not to part with the goods un less he receivad the money, and he considered a cheque the same, Mr. Arnold—What did they say at the banking house? Applicant—That they knew nothing of the drawer, and that sitnilar cheques had been presented by other trades men. Mr. Arnold—After you found the cheque was bad did you go to your customer ? Applicant—Yes, and found he had suddenly disappeared. The clerk said to the magistrate--There is already a war. rant against this offender. Mr. Arnold—That is sufficient. (To applicant)—Notice will be given you when he is taken. Liver . Julia Z3d of single Da the in all are of adent, Miss ace on is, iS. it the A the seve" I , utt" glays- Dia all , uovir itioa ; )110to g to , Y 1111- tanc ° ' ru 0" Asap Lishea )ss of ar ia° To out 6 iennar i foal! finell Ito it SHARE MARKETS.---This day, ORDINARY SHARES AND STOeftS. 101 103 8 00k COLONIAL GOVERNMENT SECURITIES. p.e.J a st. Jut) 1877-84 100 ley 106 106 5 I Do. 6 p.c. Feb:oz Au), 100 1( 3 . 1)o. 6p. c. Mar. & Sept. 100 n 3 1t 5 I Do.l p. c. Jan.&July. 100 13 04 Do. 5 Inscribed stock 100 91 93 Cape G.Rope, 6p e,1878 100 106 108 I Do.Ap &Oct. 1881 100 109 111 I Do. 1891 100 109 111 Do. Jan. & July, 1891 100 112 114 Ceylon, N0v.1878, 6p r 100 110 112 Mauritius 6 per cent lOO 106 108 ' Natal Gov. 6 per cent 130 1' 8 110 N.B.Gov. p.c. J a.SzJul) 100 104 116 I Do. 6p. c.Ap. & Oct. 100 - 'N. S.W. Gov. 5 p :08% 100 100 102 Du. sp. c.,1 8 / 1 to 1.1 r 100 101 102 Do. d0.,1888 Ozupwth 100 1014 1024 New Zealand 6 p cent. 100 110 112 Nova Scotia Gov. 6p. C. I sterling, 1875. lOO 105 107 'Queensland Gov. 6p. c. 100 1:1 113 !S. Aus Gap.c.1678.6t up 100 111 113 I Vic. Gov. 6 p.c. Ja.&July 100 107 109 , Do. in 40.0 . An.&Oet.. 100 1091 1104 1 lO9 l lO 9] ------- - BRITISH MINES. 2 'Cambrian Consol. Gold I a Id uhltord Amalgamated 34 35 Dawn G. Con.. (Tavist ) 1 500 670 East Ba.ssett(lllogan) 30 : 8 60 ,59 1 East Clogau Gold Ltd 52. 4d part 'East Caradon ...... 27 28 275 'East Cant Brea... ... 3.4.0 6 0 3 / 4 WI Russel (Tavistll ,1 8.9.0 5 5 3 / 4 54 - ;Gam.&St.AuOyn(Gwen, 58. t , 8 10 ,Great South Tolgus 17a ' 4 4 3 / 4 G. \Vheal Vor (Ralston 40 12 13 ;Grenville... 6.16.0 4 4i El end's-Foot 8.12 07 39 i tungsten Downs 4.18.0 25 3' Lady Bertha Margaret (tiny Lela= 94 14 16 —llarke Valley.. 4 Myndy Iron Oro (Lim , 24 15 1 d New Setun l9l 90 100 • North Downs 2l 15 1/ N.Wh'i Basset (111o4an 3.1.0 21 3 North Wheal Crotty .. 2.6.9 4/ 55 Par Consols (6t. Blaze). 20 Providence(Uny Lelni.) 10.6.7 42 44 i SoutliCaradon(St.Cleer, 15 [ 415 125 Carn Brea (Illogan).. ! - li.Wheal Fran. (Mogan ,18.1P 1 .9 60 65 'Stray Park '30.17.6 28 30 5 ; ramarSilv.& Lead Min 44 'rin Crott 9 18 19 %Vest Basset (Illogan) l5 94 304 W C' radon (Liskeard, 5 18 20 West Scton Wheal Basset (Mogan. 55 85 90 Wheal Buller(Redruth) 5 224 275 Wheal Kitty (U.Lelrint) , 2.0.6 WhealLudt ott Wheal Mary Ann (:den ) 8 114 12 Wheal Peton 584 150 160 Wheal Treiawney (Lis ) 7 21 22 I Wheal Union 3.17 I 24 21 PREFERENCE SHARES. Great Western Orig. 44 per cent. pr., 1004 Midland per cent. pf. stk. rd., 103 PREFEttENCE SHARES AND STOCKS. London and Blackwall, 4i per cent. stk., 10172 London, Brighton, &c., 4 6 per cent., 1858, 105 Metropolitan 5 per cent., 107 LINES LEASED AT FIXED RENTALS. North Western, 17i FOREIGN RAILWAYS. Antwerp and Rotterdam, 8/ Bahia and San Francisco (inn.) gua. 7 per cent, 18i Eastern of France, 18/ Namur and Liege, gua. 6 per cent. pf., 201 N. Rail of Buenos A yres, gua. 7 per cent., 101 ottoman (Smyrna to Aidin), 12 Paris, Lyons, and Mediterranean, 37 Turin and Savona, 4 • Cobre Copper, 291 United Mexican (lien), 61 6 / FOREIGN MINES. JOINT-STOCK BANKS. Bank of Wales, lira.. 91 C B i ri ty ti , s l h oB and American Exchange (lira.), 191 Ial: Consolidated todpuLesoatnanndß,onti ß kli t u7 n a ;, a7 l n ira d3i . J , a l p OL (ltm.), 311 Imperial Ottoman, 18 Land Mortgag e Bank of lndia, lira., 41 1 London and Brazilian (lim.), 53 1 London and County, 561 / London Joint Stock, London and South African, 261 I London and Westminster, 804 National Provincial of England, Ditto, ditto, 28t SCine, d Punjaub. and Delhi 717 Ditto, new issued, at £I los., 4/ MISCELLANEOUS. - --- Palace, ail Australian Copper, 1; E glide and nance ot London lim.. 61 7 Gen. Credit and ki al Society, lim , ., 91 I Internet ional Financi Company, 10 C Ce ry y s lo ta n l Ditto, 6 per c • ent Bonds, rt. issued 90, 87 J lt o a i l n i t a7 st l o r c r k ig D at i i s o c n ou (C nt a , n Ditto, new, cis i London District Telegraph (lim.), 1) ,),„ 7 6 a: Cavou d r e b m — . 1870, London Finan3ial Association, lien., .4 ff madras Irrization and Canal, 2) i Nationai Discount Company, lien., UT Rio de Janeiro City Improvements, 27. E South A iiicau Arortgag and Investment, GI RACING FIXTURES FOR 1864. FEBRUARY. Lincoln Spring MARCH. Nottingham Spring .... 1 Chelmsford Spring .... Derby Spring 3 York Spring Liverpool Shrewsbury APRIL. 1 Newmarket C raven .... Croxton.park Epsom Spring 7 I Newmarket First Spring THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 24, 1863, POLICE INTELLIGENCE—This Day. The Coroner for Central Middlesex and the Parish Authorities of St. Pancras. ETHNOLOGICAL SOCIETY. MARLBOROUGH-STREET. THAMES. DASTARDLY OUTRAGE.—Thomas Davies, a watch- maker, was brought before Mr. Partridge charged with violently assaulting James Hilton, a police-constable, 457 K, who was completely disabled from the injuries he re ceived, and whose right hand was bandaged. The prisoner and others were drunk and disorderly in Narrow-street, Ratcliff, at two o'clock this morning, and upon the policeman requesting them to depoirt and go home, one of the party pulled his coat off, gave it to the prisoner, and knocked down the constable. When Hilton rose he was knocked down again. The prisoner then gave his friend's coat to another person, and struck the police-constable, and felled him a third time, and when he was down trampled on his hand. The constable again rose, and the prisoner, who was like a madman, rushed upon him, threw him and fell uon him. Another constable, named Thomas Bonce, No. 24G K, came to the assistance of Hilton, took the pri soner off him and secured him. The other ruffians, who were as cowardly as they were brutal, ran away when the second police constable approached, and crept into their dwellings. After some further evidence, in the course of which it was proved that the disturbance originated in apublichouse from which the rioters were turned out, and that a woman was brandishing a knife and threatening to have blood for her supper, Mr. Partridge called upon the prisoner for his defence. He gave a general denial to the charge, and called a man named Joseph Powell, who stated that the prisoner was a very respectable man and a teetotaller. Mr. Partridge—He was drunk last night. Witness—He only drank gingerbeer and brandy. Mr. Partridge said that was very likely to make a man inebriated, This was a very serious charge, and if police constables were not protected in the discharge of their duty no decent man would enter the force. The prisoner was a dastardly ruffian. He fined him £5, and in default of pay ment, two months' imprisonment. THE CAT A FOREIGNER.—A positive argument for the foreign introduction of cats may be founded on the terms in which they are mentioned amongst the old Welsh laws of Howell the Good (943 A.D.) They were evidently scarce at that time, for it is there laid down — "The worth of a kitten until it shall open its eyes is one legal penny; from that time till it shall kill mice, two legal pennies ; after it shall kill mice, four legal pence, and so it shall always remain." A law of one of our own Edwards made the killing a cat punishable with death—a remnant of barbarism only expunged from the statue-book, we believe, by the late Sir R. Peel. Both the ancient Welsh and our own law concurred in a curious penalty for killing the king's cat, "the guardian of the royal barn." The offender was mulcted in a heap of corn sufficient to cover the defunct animal when held up bp the tip of its tail with its whiskers touching the floor.—Once a Week.. AN OLD BUSHMAN'S description of his being lost for nine hours at night in a snowsterin.—The snow was blinding me, the air was so thick that I could not see a hundred yards before me, and all the fences were now buried in the snow-drift. , I fired off my gun, I shouted, but no answer. I floundered on, not knowing where I was steer ing, for I was quite lost. And if I had tried to make back tracks' the darkness and the heavy falling snow prevented me seeing my spor. I tried to keep to a straight line, hoping at last to find some familiar object. On I toiled, sometimes the snow-drifts in the hollows four feet deep, always above my knees ; and so great was my exertion, that in about an hour more I felt myself beaten. And although I should reckon th ere was t h en a t l eas t 13 d eg . co ld Cel sius, the perspiration poured off me in streams. Again I fired off my gun and shouted, but no answer. No one was likely to be out round here on such a night, and even if a cottage window had been blazing within 200 yards of me I could not have seen it. I could keep no note of time, but I fancy it must have been near midnight when I reached another clump of trees, and being now faint and overmes• tered, I sat down at the foot of one with my back to the wind ; but as soon as I had sat down a complete revul sion came over me. My blood seemed all at once to stagnate, my . head reeled, m y e y es appeared to be starting from their sockets, and a drowsi ness which I had never felt before crept upon me. I f e lt my life depended on moving on. If I could struggle on till the morning I might be saved. But I reckoned it still wanted eight hours to sunrise. To push on was my only alternative, and I again struck out into the waste of snow. The cold had caught one of my hands, and I had lost the use of it. and my ears and nose f e lt j ust as if I could have snapped them off like icicles. I became weaker and weaker. Suddenly my foot struck against an ob s t ac l e. It was a sun k en f ence . The snow-drift here just reached to my waistcoat pocket, and it took me a quarter of an h our to clear th e f ence. The co ld s eemed eating into my marrow. My feet appeared to hang my legs like lumps of lead. My senses seemed going.' I was bee wing light-Leaded, and when I rem again I reeled like a drunken man. A kind of languid inditlerence stole over mo. I almost longed to sleep the :sleep of death. In the early evening I had felt frightened. Now hope had N anished and I dashed on with reckless exultation. Such curious thoughts came into my head; trifling incidents of the past, long since forgotten, crowded on my mind, and the whole history of a life seemed to be condensed in the few hours of that dreadful night. I thought of suicide and loaded my gun. And then I dashed my gun in the snow. I was no longer master of myself, my whole disposition seemed changed, I moved mechanically as in a trance.— Vide A Spring and Summer in Lapland. lb 19 28 29 The disputed question arising out of the dismissal of the coroner's summoning officer by the St. Pan cras vestry, was resumed yesterday at the ordinary vestry meeting. The CHAIRMAN, Mr. Churchwarden Taylor, pointed out the position in which the matter stood at the present time. There were before the meeting a resolution, to the effect that the report of the com mittee presented last week should be adopted, and that the vestry should proceed to the appcintment of a beadle in the room of Murray, and have him duly sworn in by the magistrates to discharge the duties in reference to inquests; and ar amendment, to the effect that the question of the legality or otherwise of Murray's dismissal, he not having been allowed to be heard, should be referred to the solicitor. Dr. COLLINS said that on a previous occasion the coroner had spoken to him with reference to nume rous complaints by medical men, to the effect that they had not received their fees for making post mortem exam:nations, alleging that the St. Pancras vestry must consequently be very negligent. He was therefore surprised that Dr. Lankester should be led to come forward now and make an attack upon a public body like that, and support the re instatement of Murray. Mr. WELLBY said that Murray had been grossly misrepresented. The beadle was a persecuted man, against whom unscrupulous means had been used, and was therefore deserving of the support and sympathy of the vestry. Dr. Lankester was a gen tleman better qualified than aty present to form correct opinions as to the character of the man, and he had declared that Murray was an excellent officer and a sober, steady, and honest man ; and if he were discharged the public in general, and the parish of St. Pancras in particular, would suffer for it ; and if they did not rescind the resolution for his dis missal, they would every where be set down as great noodles. A stormy discussion ensued, which resulted in the amendment being lost by 16 to 22. Cep!. CAMERON moved a second amendment, to the effect that the question as to whether the resolu tion dismissing Murray was legally carried should be referred to the solicitor. He contended that it had not been carried, inasmuch as the bye-laws of the vestry provided that the amendment should be carried by two-thirds of those who voted,and not by two•thirds of the vestry; therefore the 27 who voted for the amendment for rescinding the dismissal of the officer--40 only voting—must necessarily con stitute two-thirds. The chairman declining to vote ceased to be a vestryman for the time being. There fore he considered that the amendment had been legally carried. Mr. JENKINS concurred in Captain Camercn's opinion, and seconded the motion. The amendment being put to the meeting, was lost by 23 to 13. The original motion was then put, and carried by a large majority, and The proceedings terminated. MARKETS---T his Day. MARK-LANE. IMPERIAL WEEKLY AVERAGES.—Wheat, 41s 2d ; barley, 32s 6d ; oats, 19s Od ; rye, 298 4d ; beans, 34s 9d ; and peas, 33s 7d. THE SIX WEEKS' AVERAGES. Wheat, 40s 6d; barley, 33s 5d ; oats, 19s 4d ; rye, 29s 8d ; beans, 35s 6d ; peas, 335 11d, _ ENGLISH GRAIN SOLD LAST WEEK.—Wheat, 112,204; barley, 113,114; oats, 15,301; rye, 30; beans, 5,537; peas, 1,864 quarters. NEWGATE AND LEADENHALL. The supply of meat on sale at these markets is moderately large. The trade, generally speaking, is slow, at our quotations, Per Slb. by the carcase. edad o d s d Inferior beef .. 2 10 3 2 Middlingmutton 4 0 4 4 Middling do. .. 3 4 3 8 Prime do .. 4 6 4 8 Prime large do. 3 10 4 0 Veal: .. 3 8 4 8 Do. email do. .. 4 2 4 4 Small pork 4 0 4 4 Large pork .... 3 6 3 10 Lamb .... 0 0 0 0 Inferior mutton. 3 6 3 10 MEAT MARKETS. SOUTHALL, 23.—The suplise of stock were seasonably extensive, and the trade ruled heavy, as fol lows :—Bee:, from 3s 2d to 5s Od ; mutton, 3s 8d to 6s Od ; veal, 4s Od to 4s 10d; lamb, Os Od to Os Od ; and pork, 4a Od to 4s 8d per 81bs, to sink the offal. ROMFORD, Dec. 23.—Prime stock moved off steadily, at full prices; otherwise, the trade was in a very inactive state. Beef, from 3s 6d to 5s Od ; mutton, 3s 10d to 6s Od ; veal, 4s Od to 4s 6d ; and pork, 3s 10d to 4s 8d per 81bs ; suck. ling calves, 12s to 20s; quarter-old store pigs, 20s to 265; and mulch cows, £l4 to £lB 108 each. METROPOLITAN CATTLE. There was a very limited supply of beasts on sale in to day's market; nevertheless, all breeds moved off heavily, at Monday's currency. Sheep—the show of which was small—were very dull, but not cheaper. The top figure for Downs was 6s per 81bs. The few calves on offer changed hands slowly, at late rates, viz., from 4s to 5s per 81b5. Next to nothing was doing in pigs, on former terms ; while milch cows were nominal in price. A. portion of the stock was unsold at the close of bus Per Sibs. to s. d. s. d. Crse. &inf. beasts 3 6 3 10 Second quality do. 4 0 4 4 Prime large oxen 4 6 4 10 Prime Scots, dr- . 4 10 b 0 Ursa. & inf. sheep 4 0 4 6 Second quality do. 4 8 5 2 Suckling calves, —a to —3 20s to 26s each. TOTAL SUPPLY. iness. link the offal. s. d. s. d. Primeers-wool d 0.5 4 5 8 Pme.S'thdowndo.s 10 6 0 Largo orse. calves 4 0 4 8 Prime small do 4 10 5 0 Large hogs • 3 6 4 0 Small porkers ... , 4 2 4 6 ; and quarter-old store pigs, Beasts ... Cows l2 Sheep Calves .. .... 20 Pigs. l2O FOREIGN SUPPLY. Beasts . 92 Sheep and lambs , 220 Calves Pigs BOROUGH HOP. The amount of business passing in hops was by no means extensive. Prices, however, rule firm, good and fine parcels especially being held at extreme rates. The market is but moderately supplied with home-grown produce, and the show of foreign parcels on offer is at present less abundant than for some time. Mid and East Kents.. £5 Os to £9 Os per cwt. Weald of Kents ...... 4 lOs to 6 6s » Sussex ...... ....... 4 lOs to 6 Os 91 Yearlings ........ 3 Os to 6 Os „ Olds Belgian ............ 3 12a to 4 4 s „ BaVal tan ....... 5 58 to 8 Os „ American HAY MARKZTS. SMITFIFIELD. — Meadow hay, £3 Os to £4 10s Od ; clover, £4 Os to £6 108 Od ; and straw, £1 6s to £1 lOs per load, Trade steady. CumnEnx.Arm.—Meadow hay, £3 Os to £412,, 6d ; clover, £4 Os to £5 lOs Od ; and straw, £1 6* to £1 10s per load. A fair demand. ' WHITECHAPEL. — Meadow hay, £3 Os to £4 10s Od ; clover, £4 Os to £5 128 Od ; and straw, LI 6s to £1 lOs per load, Supply tolerably good. Liverpool Cotton Market —This Day. Cotton market remains quiet and steady. Pro bable sales about 3,000 bales. Week's business, 21,000 bales. Americans id dearer on the week ; others generally steady. SHIPPING—This Day. LONDON, Dec. 24.—Wind this day at noon—South. Westerly; light breeze, and cloudy weather. (BY MAGNETIC TELEGRAPH.) GRAVESEND, Thursday Morning. Arrived, Dec. 23—Isolotilla, from Soderham; Rebecca, and Mary ElizAbeth, from St. Michael's; Alice, from M a uritius • C.lspin, from Guernsey, Al exan d r i a ; from Lisbon; Seine, from Boulogne. Sailed, Dec. 24—Lord Russell (steamer), for Dunkirk; Orwell (steamer), for Nassau. DEAL, Thursday Morning. Anchored —Johanna Ettina, from London, for Genoa; Alexandra, from London, for Akyab. Passed—Neablern, from Demerara for London; Earl Grey, from the w est, for the nor th; City of Bombay, from Calcutta, for London. The French Academy has decided that the rucep- 1 tion of M. de Came, who replaces M. Riot, shall take place on the third Thursday in January, and that of 111. Dataare, who replaces Duke Pasquier, three weeks after. The Brussels journals announce that the Court balls for the present season are to take place on the 6th, 13th, and 27th January, and 3d February. The puke de Brabant left Brussels on Sunday for Nice, where his Royal llighness intends to pass the winter. A letter from Genoa states that an Austrian bri gantine, the Castello, 218 tons burden, laden with corr., was wrecked three nights since by running against the new pier at the entrance of the port. The crew, consist ing of eight men, were saved, but there is every reason to fear th a t the captain has peri3hed. The accident appears to have been caused by some mistake, as, though the night was dark, the sea was not rough. At a meeting of this society on Tuesday evening —Mr. Crawfurd in the chair—a paper was read by Mr. F. Galton " On the first steps towards the domestication of animals." He stated that the object of the paper was to discuss the character of ancient civilisation as indicated by the domesti cation of animals—whether there was a golden age of ad • vanced enlightenment, or whether extraordinary geniuses have existed who taught their contemporaries to domesticate animals; or whether it was posaible that the instinct of savages, combined with the qualities of the animals domes ticeed, sufficed to originate every instance of established domestication. The latter view of the question was the one taken by Mr. Gallon, who proceeded to consider the condi tions necessary to domestication, and to notice varieties of instances in which wild animals lave been tamed by savages. The conditions under which he considered wild animals may become domesticated, when briefly stated, were—that they should atourid in a wild state, that: the natives should be hunters, that the animals should be hardy, that they should have an inborn liking for man, that they should be comfort loving, that they should be found useful to the savage., that they should breed freely, aed that they should be gre garious. In support of these positions Mr. Galton adduced tht3 evidence of several travellers, combined with his own experience, and he mentioned many curious instances of the taming of animals by savage tribes, either for their use or for show, or merely as pets. The Indians of North America were stated, on the authority of Sir John Richardson, to bring up young bears, the women giving them milk from their own breasts; and the women in the interior of South America are said by Mr. Wallace to suckle and rear young monkeys. Mr. Galton is of opinion that the gregariousness of all our domestic species is the primary reason why many of them are extinct in a wild state. The wild herds, he observed, would inter mingle with the tame ones, some would become absorbed, the others would be killed by hunters, who used the tame cattle as a shelter to approach the wild, Besides this, com fort-loving animals would be lees suited to fight the battle of lite with the rest of the brute creation, and it was there fore to be expected that those varieties which are best fitted for domestication would be the soonest extinguished in the wild state. He believed that every animal had its chance of being domesticated, and these which fulfilled the condi tions before named were demonstrated long ago. It would follow, therefore, that the animal creation pOssesses no more animals worthy of domestication, at least for such purposes as savages care for. The elephant appeared to be an ex ception to the rule that domestication has always been per formed by savages. The African elephant is untamed, and is not even alive; but three of the conditions of domestica tion are wanting in Africa, for the elephants are not there sufficiently abundant, nor is the character of the country such as to admit of their easy capture, and the animal would be useless to savages, especially in an open country like Africa. In conclusion, Mr. Galton said he saw no reason to suppose that the first domestication of any animal, ex cept the elephant, implies a higher civilisation among the people who established it than that of barbarian hunters. He could not believe it to have been t!le result of a precon ceived intention, followed by elaborate trials, to administer to the comfort of man. Neither could he think it arose from one successful effort made by an individual, who might thereby juetly claim the title of benefactor of his race ; but, on the contrary, that a vast number of half unconscious at tempts had been made throughout the course of ages, and that ultimately by slow degrees, after many relapses and continued selection, our several domestic breeds became firmly established. _ _ Professor OWEN said he agreed generally with Mr. Gal ton respecting the conditions required for the domestication of animals, though there acre a few exceptions to the rule. He noticed, in the first place, that the period of the domes tication of the turkey and of the guinea-pig in Europe was distinctly marked, as those animals were introduced into the Old World from America; and yet, as they were most probably previously domesticated by the Mexicans, that fact could not be considered a proof that they were not originally tamed by man in a savage state of life. The domestic cat, however, was an exception to the condition that domesticated animals were in their wild state grega rious. There are, he observed, two species of wild cats, one of which inhabits a district extending from Scotland across the north of Europe into China and Japan ; the other is the wild cat of Persia; and it is from the latter stock that the majority of our domestic cats have sprung. He conceived that the domestication of the cat indicated an advance in civilisation greater than was exhibited by savage tribes, for the use of the cat in destroying rats and mice could not be experienced until there was an accumulation of grain or other food to be preserved. With respect to the elephant he did not agree with Mr. Galion in his explanation of the, cause why there were no tamed elephants in Africa. It was well known the Carthaginians employed trained ele.• phants in war, and the abundance of those animals in Cen• tral Africa was proved by the large quantities of ivory imported from that continent, which greatly exceeded the ivory obtained from Asia. Thus, it could neither be owing to the incapacity of the African elephant for domestication nor the smallness of their numbers that negroes did not tame the elephants of Africa. Mr. POOLE and Mr. GOODWIN considered the question from an archaeological point of view, from which they were inclined to believe that the domestication of animals, especially by the Egyptians, was not caused either by their utility to man or by the other conditions insisted on by Mr. Galion. Many of the crew tires that were tamed and worshipped were rather hurtful than useful to man. Mr. Markham, Mr. Wallace, and Mr. Bates, from per sonal observation among the savage tribes of South Ame rica and in the East, were of opinion that the domestication of animals was never undertaken by tribes in a perfectly • savage state. Mr. CRAWFUIID expressed the same opinion, and with regard to the African elephant, he contended that the cause of its not having been tamed and rendered useful in that country was to be attributed solely to the stupidity an d want of capacity of the negroes. Mr. GALTON briefly replied, and the meeting adjourned. THE CITY REMEMBRANCER. At length a day, the 14th January, at a meeting of the Common Council to be specially convened, has been ap pointed to elect a Remembrancer for the corporation of London, in the room of Mr. Tyrrell, who retired from the office about six months ago, after a service of more than half a century. By a recent resolution of the Court of Common Council, the salary has been fixed at £1,500, with an annual allowance besides of £4OO for office expenses. The emoluments, which until now have been fluctuating, amounted to about £2,000 a-year upon an average. There are eight candidates in the field namely, Mr. Jame s Crosby, solicitor, admitted 1828; Mr. George C. Oke, as. , sistant-clerk at the Mansion-house justice -room, and author of several legal works of re t aite; Mr. Samuel Spof forth, Parliamentary agent and solicitor, admitted 1850; Mr. John R. L. Walmisley, Parliamentary agent and soli citor, admitted 1840; Mr. Henry T. Riley, MA., Cam bridge, barrister, called in 1847, and editor and translator of Liber Albus; Mr. James Pearce Peachey, barrister, called in 1851, and for three years lecturer on conveyancing to the Law Society ; Mr. Woodthorpe Brandon, registrar of the Lord Mayor's civil court; and Mr. If. E. Brown, Parlia mentary agent and solicitor, admitted in 1840. The long in - terval which has elapsed since the vacancy arose, and dur ing which it was uncertain whether or not the office would be amalgamated partly with that of the City Solicitor and partly with that of the Town-clerk, has operated to prevent some of the candidates presenting themselves until the eleventh hour. Others, again, were unwilling to undertake the labour of canvassing the Common Council, about 260 in number, so long as it remains a matter of doubt that the Remembrancership would be maintained as a separate department of the corporation, as it had been front the reign of Queen Elizabeth. Some are understood to have declined on principle to canvass at all, preferring to de pend on their good repute, even where the coveted prize is equal in emolument to the office of an Under-Secretary of State, but without its precarious tenure. This being so, it is feared that some members of the Common Council promised their votes when the field of choice was compare tiveiy limited, and that the wholesome rule of deter digniori, which ought to be above all other considerations, may not be allowed to prevail in the puLlic interest. It would be difficult, perhaps, to understand how many arts are practised on these occasions in the interest of particular candidates for offices in the corporation, down to the em ployment at times of paid electioneering agents. It is not uncommon for a man to lay himself out for a place of emolument or honour before it is really vacant, and that because its possessor happens to be moribund or advanced in years. A rumcur was recently current in the city that an inhabitant of a ward canvassed for the gown which an alderman, who was ill, was supposed likely to give UP' and that the moment the alderman heard of the proceeding he declared his determination to retain his gown until the t last. In the matter of the Remembrancers hip effertsqiuni ae as unconscionable are being made to carry the particular way. It rests with the Common Council,election and especially with the new body which has just been elected to bailie such artifices, and see that, every one of the candi dates has a fair chance. The ch oice they made on a recent election of a Commissioner of Police gave ge neral i satisfac tion. There is no reason wh y that of a embrancer tienshould not gain equal appro bation, and that it will du, pro vided it proceeds ou public con siderations alone. JUDGE JEFFRIES,OF NOTORIOUS MEMORY (point ing with his cane to a man who was about to be tried), said, " There is a gre at ro g ue at the end of m y cane:, The man to whom h© pointed, looking at hint :laid, '' At w hi c h end, my lord F' A CYNICAL PHILOSOPHER has remarked—" Ii we all had windows to our breasts to-morrow, what a de. mand there would be for blinds I" The Court Journal. Established. 34 years.—See the Court Journal of Saturday, which contains a vast a mount of exclusive news of public interest, and perfectly original Courtly, Fashionable, Theatrical, Naval, Military, an d Spoi ting Intelligence, Club On flits, &c.; not to be found in any daily or weekly paper.—Price sd. ; Stamped, 6d.—W. Thomas, 26, Brydges-street, Strand; sold by all ReWB-ageLli6 ; and at the Railway Stations. From " Pelham" to " Caxtoniana" there has been one tong soliloquy. It is clearly in the light of half regret, half-apology for early faults, that we are to read the analysis given in this significant Preface of the earliest of the Bulwer Lytton novels. We have the frank avowal that it was written " at that crisis of thought and feeling, common enough to the boyhood and early youth of all men of genius, when all the elements of thought are unsettled, when crude impressions are hastily received as truths : and in striving, first, to think for themselves, they question all the oracles of human fate, and dange rously interpret the ambiguous answers accorded to their own passionate inclinations." In the "Dis owned" we are next told to see " glimpses of a much loftier tone of mind, of greater capabilities for pathos, of grander ideals of human character, and the nobles aims of human life." The mystery of m "Devereux" is derived, for variety, "n o t f ro the inferior sources of external incident, but the complicated secrets of the human heart." IR the character of Aubrey, " our reason is satisfied not so much by the probability of the events as by the consummate analysis of mind and motive by which the events themselves grow naturally and inevitably out of the idiosyncrasy of their agents. Of " Paul Clifford" the design has never been apprehended before. "In forma burlesque, in essentials a tragedy," it is " a satire upon crime," a burlesque upon the false shows of civilised life, " a genial appeal to the conscience of communities to adjust our codes to the reform of criminals es well as to their punishment.” Shallow critics have been all along unaware of its ethical depth— Our author must often have smiled, whether in scorn or sadness, at the shallow criticisms which represented this work, so full of a cordial philosophy, so mar k e d b y e l evate d benevolence, and so rounded into the very moral which all our statesmen have si.,ot3 laboured to shape into Acts of Parliament, as a vicious representation of heroes and high- waymen Tor is " Eugene Aram" without those traits of self-portraiture which bespeak the mind of the novelist passing through a further phase of culture. There is here the imaginary study of evil in its effects upon a temperament like Clifford's in romance, but with far higher gifts of mind—" the eff,ct of a single crime upon a magnificent intellect." In " Godolphin," on the contrary, we have the ideal view of the same influence in a less tragical aspect. " Ia one there is the picture of a life blasted, in the other the picture of a life frittered away." In both we see, as it were, the physician experimenting upon moral poisons in their effects upon his ideal self. Nor are we on any account to lose the truthfulness and finish of the " high-bred cynicism of Saville, or the elegant effemi nacy into which the original genius of Godol phin himself subsides, as the indolence of the epicurean gradually prevails over his finer nature. In "Ernest Maltravers" we pass on to " the type of the poetic intelligence, working out its highest ultimate destinies through the scenes and probation of actual life." In what passes between Maltravers and Evelyn is represented " that epoch in the poetic mind when, wearied with the actual world, the poet yearns for return to his early dreams, seeks to renew his own youth, and forgets that he cannot regain their former freshness, nor link inex perienced hope with the memory of errors and the fulness of sorrowful knowledge." It is in the re union with Alice—that is to say, " the restoration of art to nature"—that " the ideal intelligence, long at war with the practical world, is rebonciled to it. " Zinoni"—the first inkling of a vein of thought in Sir Edward's imagination which has since teemed in the more astounding marvels of the " Strange Story"—dawned upon the author's brain as the "illustration of external life by symbolical phi losophy." Current rumour points to the no less potent sympathy said even now to ezist between the same imaginative genius and spirit manifesta tions of a more vulgar kind. Such magical bias, however, is declared to be in its origin " no gloomy criminal art, but a mastery over the lawful secrets of nature, to be attained but by dauntless will, by self-conquest, by the subordination of flesh to spirit" If his successive creations, from " Pelham' . downwards, may thus be viewed as so many reflec- tions of the author's self, as in a room with many mirrors, the same law of impersonation holds even more strictly true as a key to his latest publication. Passing by the practical lessons of the " Csxtons " and "My Novel," as the expression of his sager manhood, we have in " Caxtoniana" the didactic statement of ideas which he has at other times habituated himself to clothe with the personality of fiction. By far the larger part of these two volumes may be read as simple soliloquies or confessions. Never, perhaps, since Rousseau, has a philosopher or moralist thrown so much of himself into his re flections, even when giving them their most abstract or general form, and using least commonly the first person singular. To any keen interpreter of casual hints and intimations, nothing more is wanting for a complete mental image of the writer or the man. Years which have added the last perfection to that polished style—chastening its early exuberance, and sobering the youthful tendency to inflation and.bom bast—have but matured the habit of studying the world by the inner light of his own consciousness. It is in the microcosm of his own sentiments and yearnings that the very universe seems alone capable of being read and understood. What ever changes may go on without are as no thing to the importance of the alternations and vicissitudes which mark the development within. Tne laws of mind and morals are to be studied, not in reality, but in type, and that type not far to seek. Into whatever fountain Narcissus turns to gaze, there is, changed as it may be by time, the same individual image still.. As Sir Edward himself says of Montaigne, " it is his own human heart, as be has tested it though his own human life, that be first analyses, and then syntheses. And out of that analysis and that synthesis he dissects into separat,e, members, and then puts together again, the world." Of what avail to him are the multitude of tr?kF, save as they "serve only to enforce his own opinions and illustrate his own experience of life POACHING AFFRAY NEAR MACCLESFIELD. —At about 1 o'clock on Monday morning a desperate encounter I 14 gamekeepers and nearly A twice Macclesfield, between 12 or took place on the Siddington estatntoe,atifhlo,euhreasovtraintfiegvoer ef in c: i l l ir es ed from i. their number of poachers. On the previous night the keepers of Mr. J. B. Gleg p g o , ac W hi i n th g i n g g an to g n adjoiningwith the formation of a body of poachers having been seen in the neighbourhood, mustered in force and started off in pursuit.e They traced the Davenport, Capestborne Hall, where they fell in H. w T o h f e or k thidable gangs y armed, keepers on that estate, together sut suita bly those of the and t t h h e e ir landowner,•lllr. J. Dixon, Astle Hall. their strength, and being keepers united r. JabesWright, continued their search.' About 4 o'clock they came upon t of the strength of their opponents, setting nets in a field in the occupation of M keepers, unaware tw o gangs closed and compelled Siddington. It was pitch dark, Pounced upon them, but thewatchers to stand aloof. The latter summoned their ant agon i s ts to surrender, a but the po achers re plied with reg ular tools then ensued. volley of large stones. A an d the confusion the keepers In the darkness of the nigh t fear of hitting the fellow-watchers; were chary in striking throug h -watchers; but the poachers w ,re less cautious, end set hard blows before di upon each other, exchanging many perior in number and wen their mistake. Though su leaving four of their number wounded on the ground: keepers took into custody. A hare, a rabbit, and a quantity of netti •ng and sticks were fou nd u p on them. The keeper s escaped marvellously, ma ny of the blows in tended f • or them fallino• on the 'b ea ds of the unlucky poachers. The four capturedp men , Joseph Wilson , Jose p h Cl [ 'Ann, Thomas Fitton, and Robert Moss, were brought up at Macclesfield on Tuesday. They made no defence, but Moss and Wilson complained of the brutal ill-usage they r ece iv e d at the hands of the keepers, 18 or 19 of whom (they averred), armed with spears several feet long, and double-barrelled guns, cut and slashed right and left. Wilson showed some ugly wounds on his head and face, and Moss had the back of his hand severely cut, ho said, with a spear. The justices sentenced the prisoners to three months' hard labour each, and expressed an opinion that if the borough police officers did their duty under the powers which the recent poaching Act gave them, the ga me e l est; infected pre servesin the ne i g hbourhood of Macclesfield would b s infected with midnight marauders. The steam despatch boat E3laireur has just ceived orders to take part in the works for laying d o n irbc newt submarine telegraph line between Carlin,. w - --e Oran. The operations will commence on th ,, arrivali'ella and at the former place of the Dix Decemb re, which has gone to Eng land to bring over the cable, THE REPORTED INSURRECTIONARy MANIFESTO IN .HUNGARY. MILAN, Dec. 24. The Allianza publishes a st atetuent that an in.. surrectionAry manifesto has been affixed in the principal towns of Hungary. The manifesto announces the establishment of a General Committee to obtain the independence of Hungary, and assume the direction of the affairs of the country under the orders of Kossuth. The Austrian Government is taking great pre cautions, but agitation is general throughout Hati. gary. GRESHAM LIFE ASSURANCE SOCIETY. The annual general meeting of the share and policy holders in this society was held yesterday at the offices, 37, Old Jewry, Cheap side. the bheoaerhd of d v i air Na r s ec o ts. e :r up ie 1 by W. Tabor, Esq., c h a i rman o f the The advertisement calling the meeting having been read, The following report was then submitted to the meeting : " The directors have to state as their report for the financial year ending July 31st, 1863, that as many as 4,228 proposals have been made to the office for assu rances. amounting to £1,732,235. " That of such proposals 3,50 S have been accepted and completed, yielding £37,347 133. Bd., as new premiums fur the year, exclusive of annuities. _ "The general income for the year has been £162,537 .2s. 2d., of which £12,147 6s. sd. is from interest of in- vestments. " The amount paid during the year for deaths, including bonuses, has been £55,533 13s. 6d. "The current tunds remaining accumulated and invested, after payment of the charges of the year, and exclusive of share capital and deposits, amounted to £374,671 13a. sd. " The accounts have been examined monthly by the assigned auditors, Messrs. G. 11, Ladbury, W. W. Venn, and William Whitelock, and have been found and certi fied to be correct. These gentlemen again beg to offer themselves for election. " The directors retiring, but again offering themselves for election, are, Edward Solly, William Henry Thornthwaite and William Tabor, Esqs., and are the eopmamst year, by the board as the list for e l e cti on. " The a b ove report compr i ses all the essential results of and presents to those who are acquainted with assurance business, such evidence of the activity and pros peruoni t o y f p t r h o o d s u o c o e i d e t y b , y a t s h o e a enxntoetnfsate to a nbdesuccessfulg o h r i g y a s n a i t s i a s factory?, The CHAiltxtAN - said it now became his duty to move that the report be received and adopted. He did not know there was anything that called for remark, but he could not resume his seat without congratulating the meeting upon the success of their operations during the past year, w hich he thought were unpa ra ll e l ed in the annals of life ass urance. Their premiums kept on i ncreasing, and they had completed f resh p ro p osal s yielding £37,347 13s. Sd. (Hear, hear.) Such an amount of new business had, he thought, never been exceeded by any other office, and the fact showed that the foundation of the establishtalent was sound and reliable. (Hear, hear.) Their accumulated fund had also shared in the general increase, and it now amounted to nearly £lOO,OOO. (Hear, hear.) Their largs increase of business had been most legitimately obtained. There had been no amalgamations, no purchases, but all had been done in the most regular manner. During the last week he had examined their securities for money advanced, and he had also been to the Bank of England, and seen that the amount standing in their name was cor rect. (Hear, hear.) With these few observations, he would conclude by formally moving that the report sub. witted to the meeting be received and adopted. The motion having been seconded, Mr. W. SMEE said he could nut allow that opportunity to Fess without expressing the pleasure he felt at the success that had attended their operations during the past year. During that time they had no less than 4,223 new propo• eats, and the uninitiated could form no idea of the immense labour such a circumstance would create, as every proposal, representing as it did the head of a family, had to be dealt with singly and separately. It was most satisfactory to know that their increased business had not been produced by amalgamation, and that each new assurer had attended personally at one or other of their offices, and had undergone an examination by the medical gentleman appointed for the particular district. The utmost care was taken in the selec tion of lives, and to :that fact much of their prosperity was to be attributed. Such had been the success of their operations that, in some towns, they had secured every life . fit for insurance, and this in a field, in many instances, which others had failed to cultivate. The Gresham was really and truly an European office; be would not say they had not a governor or a consul insured in. their office, but they had been insured previous to their appointment—(hear)—in fact, the whole of those assurers had been obtained without in one instance going to the colonies for them. (Hear, hear.) It was the happiness of the board to have the advice of a gentleman of great breadth of mind, and he might truly say that it was owing to the untiring energy of his friend Mr. Farren — (h ear , hear)— that the Gresham had been broug ht to its present pitch of prosperity. He ventured to p redict that the office would still grow, still extend itself, an d large as it at present was it was destined yet to become larger for the future, (H ear.) The CITAIRMAN put the question for the adoption o f the report to the meeting, when it was enthusiastically carried. Mr. WILLIAMS moved the re-election of the retiring directors, viz., Edwa t d Son Henry Thorn y, Esq., William He thwaito, Esq., an d William Tabor, Efici, He said they Would be im arer or abler servants. were all gentlemen of tried ability,par (Hear, hear.) Th e motion ha vin g been seconded t a l i f d hi i : possible to obta in be brother directors, was put to the meet ing and carri ed unanimously. their greatest pride to Mr. THOWITIIWAITE, on the oialyani c m o a n t d e it t ion and hem,to fresh their fresk returne d thanks. He s w aid oui i ld t w business ( lear, hear.) see the offic e in its p resent flourishing as past s uccessful labours exTerhtiisoncosn f or cl u t d h e e d f t u L t u e r e . of the meeting. A POLICYHOLDER sai d before the proceedings terminated would worthy and esteemed award a vote of thanks to their eem - ed chairman. (Hear, h ear.) He had invariahly discharged his duties in the most courteous and affable manner. and he had great pleasure in moving that the best thanks of the meeting be presented to him. The motion having been carried, The CHAIRMAN returned thanks for the compliment, but at the same time he must say that much of their suc ce.a w as attributable to their admirable and able actuary and secretary, Mr. Farren. (Rear, bear.) They had had the haprinees of knowing that gentleman for many years, and the more they knew of him the better they liked him. This being the case, he bad great pleasure in moving a cordial vote o f thanks to Mr. Farren. (Hear, hear.) Mr. BEADNALL s aid it would afford him great pleasure in seconding the mo tion. The CILAIRMAN having put the motion, and declared it carried, Mr. FAAREN said he had to thank the meeting for himself and also for his staff, because the latter rendered him the most essential service. H e nee d hardly tell th em that the main ust l ys s u p ports fthe paid aided its s ociety, d - i por t s that he d e p ended upon e for success we his ' own staff and t he g entlemen who acted as agent s. Th ose gentleman felt a settled confidence in the sound ne ss unhesitatingly a ndtbey tw m ery ost bodywas t ' well wo a nd advocated justly s ervices rendered , and this, co upled with the energy and ffi perseveran ce of every one engaged in th e o , ° exte nsion. Les, was one of the secrets of their success. He could only thank the meet ing for the compliment they had awarded him, but at the same time he could assure all present that his constant en deavour would be to enlar ge the operations of the Gresham. Tho proceedings then t " emulated. BITLWER'S IDIOSYNCRASY. (According to the Saturday Retnew.) v Wlt 4 Irt Ye 7"% IECOND EDITION. bUN OFFICE, HA LF-PAST 4 O'CLOCK. The Price of Gold. The quotation ot gold at Paris is about 3 per mine pm., and the short exchange on London is 25.30 per .C 1 sterling. On comparing these rates with the English Mint price of £3 17s • le 4d. per ounce for standard gold, it appear that gold is about 2-10tfis per cent. dearer in London than in ndvieea from Hamburg the price of gold is 4214 per mark aid l t short. exchange on London is 13.5 per Li et( rling . . laniard gold at the English Hirt price is, therefore, about 1-10111 per cent. dearer in London than in Hamburg. The course of exchange at New York on London for bills at 60 days' sight: is 163 to 161 per cent., an d the premium on hold ts4giro49 importation 491 per o cent.gold from the these s eurnaitteesd there ste s i . s a profit on the JUDGES' CHAMBERS.—At the Judges' Chambers yesterday four learned judges attended. Mr. Justice Shea heard summonses of the Court of Queen's Bench, and was assisted by Mr. Justice Blackburn. 1u• day (Thursday) be Chambers will be closed till Wedaeisday morning. It n cess visit rued 20 of v are park, ater- amilY IlteS S relic° tour nada lurd- n, at 3iaius tired enefic ;irele and toot, gbYt b. Ye 9. reel' ,it to lona° high . i ; area carlD ' ' 3 a til ° jaing• allia ° orrovr , the e by ice 0 :oA of rge of . e the Do UP a e to rin el.. rOO ll3, [ aria F has GI, 01 ult of con- per the acipai 31r. ;chola •) the „woo, nd un w ent Thos. 'aril, 'es II() implY ets 8° stone . 5 unit; ;, Bud )0 far :ben - their LtEiVel . to a -13 the large .I,ot l j t:Jot 'bar '9 X 35 11.4. 9323 111C 118 VOrY 'ter Isr cethe t'raet;' - The e 04 lie ware urea' yet .i 6 drY'r dainP hit ion ichro ,heet, mi cro. rn ago, over s , dip cid of 1 gr. , t for the re F