The Sun. — London, England, 1868-01-14 00:00:00

FORGERY AND EMBEZZLEMENT. An extraordinary trial of a military officer has just been concluded at Jersey. The prisoner was William Henry Gardner, major in the Royal Jersey Militia, and holding the office of secretary to the Lieutenant-Governor of J e rsey. The charge against the prisoner was that of appropriating to his own use the sum of £l2O, annually awarded by the Home Government for distribution as prizes to the best snots in the island militia. In May 1867 the money was remitted by the War Office. The prisoner in formed the Lieutenant-Governor, on his being questioned about paying the prize money, that it had not been received. His Excellency thereupon wrote to the War Office. That letter was confided to the prisoner to be posted. It never reached the War Office, and the pro secution nssumed that the prisoner had destroyed it. The prisoner so manipulated his accounts that the embezzlement was concealed both from his Excel lency and from the War Office. The prisoner was further charged with having, during the past six years, embezzled the sum of £216, being at the rate of £36 per year. The Home Government, it appeared, had, during that period, granted the sum of £36 per annum towards the expense of repairing the arms of the militia regiments of the island. By writing " Received the amount " on certain papers, the prisoner had succeeded in hiding this fraud also. The facts as stated having been proved, a verdict of guilty was returned. Sentence was reserved for consideration. PIRACY 1N 711 E EASTERN SE 4S. Another good service in the repression of piracy has just been performed by 33ritish gunboats. Two junks going to a place near Swatow were attacked by several ph atical lorchas, the junks being driven ashore, and their contents and passengers looted. On the report of this event reach ing Lieutenant Mainwaring, commanding the gunboat Bouncer, he proceeded, accompanied bythe Janus and Alge rine, to a point west of Cupche, to which the information he had received induced him to go. He found indubitable proof that he haa gone to the right place. The local authorities admitted the presence of the actual pirates, but pleaded as an excuse for their own inaction that they had no force available for punishing the thieves. They therefore re quested Lieutenant Mainwaring to take whatever action he deemed necessary. He at once opened negotiations with the inhabitants of the villages where the pira' s were known to be sheltered, but a cold shoulder turned upon all his efforts at affecting redress by peac •Eul means, a fight ensued between the piratical crews and tl.eir friends and the party with Lieutenant Mainv:aring. It did not last long, but endured long enough to cause the deaths of two, and the wounding of four others of the better disposed Chinamen by whom the naval party was assisted. Three of the piratical towns were burnt, and an indemnity obtained of 5,057' dole., besides the -e. covery of two guns and much of the, property taken from the plundered junks. The service was very gallantly per formed by our tars. There is not much glory to be w on , perhaps, in these little skirmishes, but they add very much to the security of commerce along the China coast, and Lieutenant Mainwaring's name has been so f:::luer. tly identified with them that if they do entitle any officer to promotion, it may fairly be claimed on behalf of Lieutenant Mainwaring. STATE OF IRELAND. Searches for concealed arms, fruitless as yet, are reported from Cork. Several of the local companies and large mer chants have armed their cashiers with revolvers, under the fear that the Fenian desperadoes may sink down from "patriotism" to robbery, or that advantage may be taken of the occupation of the police with graver business to commit burglaries, and even daring open-day theft. The removal of arms and ammunition to places of safety, under the supervision of the resident magistrate, continues, but the arrests made do not encourage a belief that the local Fenian gang of Cork will be easily got at or very soon broken up. Several drafts from the Irish constabulary depot in the Phoenix Park have within the last few days been sent to different parts of the country for what are called " out stations "—rural police•barracks at a distance from towns to fill up vacancies and strengthen such of those barracks as arc inadequately manned. During the disturbed months of last year, when the Fenian raiding bands traversed the Southern Irish province, the police were recalled from those out-stations, and this concentration system was much complained of, as leaving the loyal inhabitants in remoter places altogether without protection. The timely adoption of Um opposite method of strengthening the weaker police parties is calculated to add to the sense of security •which the many prudent precautions of the authorities are steadily augmenting. The reports of Fenian vessels off the coast contmuc to peiplcx the cruisers. As yet there is no tangible evidence that either of the "suspicious crafts" telegraphed of from various points was a real Fenian p:rate-ship. The last report of the kind is from the coast of Donegal, where her Majesty's gunboat Rainbow steamed out promptly after a vessel which the coastguard men considered of evil aspect, but she was not come up with. The Ewing Mail of Saturday mentions a statement, without vouching for its correctness, and with a view to its being denied if untrue, that a number of Maynooth students, on being brought, as it is the custom, to the quarter sessions at Maynooth to take the oath of alle giance, refused to be sworn. MR. GLADSTONE AND STIEFFIELD.—Mr. Glad- stone has replied as follows to the invitation to visit Shef field :—" Hawarden Castle, Chester, Jan. 6, 1368. Sir, I am sincerely grateful to the meeting which passed the very kind and flattering resolution enclosed in your letter; but I regret to say that it will not be in my power to come to Sheffield for the purpose of addressing the people on public affairs. If lamtobe of any use during the session of Parliament, it is requisite to give the mind some relief during the recess from matters apt to become the subjects of contention ; and, likewise, having recently declared my views to portions of the great constituency I have 012 honour to represent, I do not think it would be for the public advantage that I should at this period reopen the disen ~ion of the same or similar questions. lam sure that thi explanation will be received in the same spirit which pr , a,pted the resolution and your obliging letter, and I rely sin, sir, your faithful servant, W. E. GLADSTONE.— Mr. Thomas Orton." THE FENIAN "PRISONERS AT WARWICK. —The incarceration of the Fenian conspirators, Burke, Casey, and Shaw, in the county gaol, has led to precautionary measures being taken to preserve the peace in Warwick, where there is a considerable population of Irish, some of whom are known to sympathise with Fenianism. On Saturday, after the meeting of the.visiting justices at the gaol, the members of the Warwick Rifle Volunteer Corps and the local Volunteer Fire Brigade were sworn in as special constables. The number world probably be about seventy ; but there are in the borough a number of special constables enrolled every year, on appointment by the ancient court beet. After the volunteers had been sworn in the Mayor addressed them, and thanked them for the manner in which they had come forward in such numbers on very short notice. He did not believe there was any Fenianism amongst the inhabitants of the borough, and he had therefore hitherto declined to swear in special constables, although frequently urged to do so. But now that three Fenian prisoners had been brought to the county gaol, it was thought desirable to have addi tional means of defending the prison, and he had there fore called them together to be enrolled as special con stables. The gaol, which stands about half a mile from the centre of the borough, on an open space of land, is at present guarded night and day by the county police, who are armed with cutlasses and revolvers supplied by Govern ment. The gaol is a very large building, containing over 300 separate cells, and the walk round the high boundary wall is something like three-quarte rs of a milTo effi large - ciently guard the premi ses would require a . number of police for this special serv i ce, and it is felt that the duty would be better entrusted to the military. PROPOSED TESTIMONIAL TO TII E CII ANCELLOL OF THE EXCHEQUER. —A proposal has been made in the Bucks Herald, and a subscription, we believe, actually com menced among the constituents of Mr. Disraeli for " Th e Enfranchised Classes Testimonial to Mr. Disraeli." To this end "penny contributions co-extensive with the reani mated suffrage" arc suggested. The originators of the movement argue : "If it be objected that Mr. Disraeli is a Tory, or that the concession has been wrung fienn him, the former assertion, in the meaning which their opponents attach to the name, may be questioned, and the lager disprOved. Mr. Disrael, a candidate for Mary-lets:me, contended for in - livers: , 1 suffrage and vote by ballot ; he was, at High Wycombe, also the popular aspirant for a seat in Parlia ment. He has since ignored the claim of his opponents to a monopoly of Reform. There may be shortcomings and defects in the new Act ; but the Act rests on an intelli gible principle. To iirge, in objection, that for some of its provisions it was not indebted to its putative originators is simply to commend the Chancellor of the Exchequer for his skilful utilisation of available forces. If vindication of the consistency of the Earl of Derby for espousal of the demo cratic measurewere necessaryeample m aterial might be found in the noble Premier's antecedents. The supporter of the Jform Bill of 1832, the advocate of the Corporations Re form Acts, the abolisher of ten Irish bishoprics, the emancipator of the sl aves o f the West Indies, may surely, however indisposed to connect himself with `thimble-rig Administration,' feel privileged to take the initiativey the concession of popula r rights." Law AND POLICE. THE IiEMAL TRADING CO3IPANT.—Vice-Chancellor Wood had before him a motion to disallow a claim by one Mr. Pratt for £2OO, in the matter of the winding-up of the General Trading Company. It appeared that Mr. Pratt was the owner of 100 shares in Harper Twelvetrees (Limited), and he had paid the sum of £3OO in respect of them. Harper Twelvetrees some time ago Ceased business, and the assets were assigned to a then ziew company, the General Trading Company, which was now under process of winding-up. Mr. Pratt objected to the proposal for the assignment of the business at the time it was made, and it was agreed that he should be paid £2OO, the amount now in dispute. It was contended, on the part of the official liquidator, that the arrangement was an improper one, but the Vice-Chancellor said he saw nothing improper in it. and the claim must therefore be allowed. WAsoN v. WALTER.—An application was made in the Court of Queen's Bench, on the part of Mr. Rigby Wason, for a rule nisi for a new trial in the case of Wason v. Walter, which was tried before the Lord Chief Justice during the after-term sittings in the City of London. This was the action, to which so much attention was called, against Mr. Walter, the publisher and part-proprietor of the Times, for an alleged libel contained in certain speeches delivered in the House of Lords during a debate on a petition, presented by Earl Russell from the plaintiff, con taining certain charges against Sir Fitzroy Kelly. The speeches in question were published in the ordinary course, and commented on by the defendant. The trial resulted in a verdict for the defendant on all the issues. The charge of the Lord Chief Justice was excepted to on the ground that his lordship had informed the jury that if they believed that the report of the debate in question was a bond fide report, and was in no respect a partial report, the defendant was justified in reporting it ; and that, if they were of opinion that the comments of the defendant upon the debate constituted a fair and reasonable criticism of a matter of public interest—as the subject matter of the petition admittedly was—the defendant was not liable in an action of libel. The Court granted the application, as the question of privilege was so important. FORDHAM V. THE LONDON, BRIGHTON, AND SOUTH COAST RAILWAY.—In the Court of Common Pleas an ap plication was made for a rule nisi for a new trial in the above case. It was an action for damages for in jury. It appeared that the plaintiff was, on the Ist September last, a passenger on the defendants' line, and, in getting into the carriage at Sydenham station he laid hold of the door in such a way that his left hand was between the door and the jamb. He stepped into the carriage ; but before he was completely in a porter or guard shut the door and violently pinched the plaintiff's hand, and so for a con srable time deprived him of its use. The plaintiff clamed damages for; this injury, and:at the trial, before Mr. Justice Byles, he recovered a verdict for £25. It was now submitted that there was no evidence of any negli gence in shutting the door, or at all events that there was contributory negligence on the part of the plaintiff, in placing his hand in almost the only place where injury could happen to it, and the application was granted. EXCESSIVE DAHAGES.—A rule nisi for a new trial was also granted in the case of Barker v. the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company, also an action for damages for injury through negligence. It was said that the damages (E 1,250) were excessive, as the medical evidence was contradictory, and the plaintiff had fallen down some steps after the accident. from which, it was alleged, he had obtained injury. FORGERY ON THE LONDON AND COUNTY BANK.—A series of forgeries upon the London and County Bank has been investigated at the Mansion House. On the 13th December 1866 a blank cheque-book was stolen from a parcel sent to the branch bank at Halstead, and the next day and at intervals afterwards the accused, a well dressed man of 35, named William Dolby, into whose hands the book had fallen, drew cheques upon the bank which by various devices he induced tradesmen and others to cash. Several cases having been proved, Mr. Mullen asked for and obtained a remand. POLLUTION OF RIVERS BY GAS WASIIINGS.-Our readers may nct be aware of the great mischief which is occasioned by gas companies allowing the water used in the manufacture of gas to flow into streams and rivers, and of the penalties which the companies render themselves liable to for that offence. The water thus polluted is not only rendered unfit for use, but is so poisonous as to injure health and even to destroy life. On the 15th of last No vember a quantity of gas washings was allowed to flow from the Barnsley Gasworks into the town sewer, and thence into the rivers Dearne and Don, and the pollution of those streams was so great as to call for the interference of the gentry and liela.bitauts of the district, who insti tuted an inquiry, with a view to enforcing the provisions of the Nuisances Removal Act, 1855, by which any gas company allowing gas water or gas washings to flow into any river, stream, or reservoir, aqueduct, or other place for water, or any drain communicating therewith, shall forfeit for every offence the sum of £2OO. It has been judicially decided that this Act applies to an involuntary proceeding or accident as well as to a wilful violation of the provisions of the Act. The Barnsley Gas Company having ascertained and admitted that the offence had been committed accidentally by some of their servants, have been met in a liberal spirit by the persons injured by the pollution ; and we hear that all proceedings to enforce the £2OO penalty have been withdraws on the company pay ing £2O and the costs incurred. By arrangement the above sum has been this week paid to the Beckett Dispensary, one of the most useful of the Barnsley charities. We give publicity to these facts as a warning to all gas companies, their officials, and servants, and we cannot too strongly impress upon the public also the great and growing neces sity for keeping all our public streams as free from pollu tion as possible.—Sheffield Dairy Telegraph. AN ICE STORM ON THE CHILTERN HILLS. — A correspondent of the Times writes :—" These hills were on Saturday visited by an ice -storm of unparalleled severity. After some days of frost the wind on Friday veered from north to south, and the barometer rapidly fell. Early on Saturday rain began with half a gale of wind ; this continued, more or less, all day. Having occa sion to pay a visit on the top of the hills, I started about 12 a.m., when it was raining fast and blowing hard ; the rain, instead of running off my umbrella, froze as it fell. I do not believe that a single drop during the three hours Iwas out left it, and when I returned home it was one bright sheet of ice. The trees and hedges w: re covered with ice to the thickness of half an inch in the more exposed places. I brought a twig home, which on carefully weighing was found to be ten parts ice to one of wood ; this was by no means an exceptional case. The trees were frozen so stiffly that in spite of a strong wind they stood perfectly motionless, with the exception of the birches and evergreens, which scattered a show of ice at every blast. The houses and buildings were coated with ice on their southern aspects, riving the appearance of a glass glaze ; the glass in the windows was also thickly coated. But the icicles on the rates produced the most extraordinary effect, every bar of it being covered with ice, from which were suspended rows of icicles six inches long. These could be counted by hun ilreds—not hanging straight down, but all inclining, at an angle of about 30 deg., with the most perfect regularity, to the north, or away from the wind. The blades of grass and dead thistles which projected through the snow were incased in ice to a great thickness ; the snow also was Coated with a thick coat of ice, which made walking very fatiguing on the steep sides of the hills. Tl►e noise was very peculiar as the wind shook the ice from the trees ; in stead of remaining where it fell, it went rattling to the bottom, and meeting with the projecting frozen grass the noise was great. The general aspect of the country was such as to defy my powers of description. It was as if every object had been suddenly dipped in liquid glass, and not until late at night did the south wind and rain gain the mastery, when the ice fell in heaps under every tree." FATAL GUN ACCIDENT IN DEVONSHIRE.---The deputy coroner for South Devon has held an inquest at Teignmouth, on the body of Charles Babbage, aged 14, who was accidentally shot while out shooting a few days previously. The deceased was the son of the late manager of the Dawlish Bank, and on Thursday week be and another lad, named George Medland, went shooting small birds. Babbage got on the top of a hedge and then . requested Medland t o g i ve hi m on e e nd of his gun that he mi ght assist him up. Medland accordingly gave him the muzzle of the ' gun (which was loaded and cocked) while he held on to the stock-end of it ; and he was in the act of beinj pulled up the hedge when the gun exploded. Babbage's right arm, from the elbow to the shoulder, was fearfully shattered by the charge, as was al so a portion of h i s s id e. Th e deceased fainted, but Medland giving him some water from the brook close by, he recovered a little, and afterwards, with the assistanc e of his comrade, walked partly home, when he again fell down from exhaustion. Medland ,b t r he 3,u,c r a i kuer, went a, fn havingn named assistance,luti John previously and ref refused returning, accompanied e Greenslade(i ( t a o n g o t o h ) em was a n, n f t:, ) named lying in a stream of water, and greatly exhausted from the loss of blood. He was taken to the infirmary, close by, but was found to be t oo wea k to have the litrib amputated. ' The wound was consequently dressed, and he lingered in much agony until Thursday following, when mortification set in ; and, as the last resource to save the poor fellow's life, the limb was taken off. This, however, proved too much for him, as he died on thb following Saturday morning. The jury returned a verdict of accidental death, and cautioned parents against allowing their children to have the use of firearms. They also complimented Greenslade for his ready assistance, but censured Tucker for his inhuman conduct in refusing to render the deceased any help. Two or three accidents of a like character have recently occurred in the county. THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, JANUARY 14, 1868. RAILWAY AND 07HER COMPANIES. FRENCH RAILWAY RECEIPTS. The aggregate traffic receipts on the six princi pal railway systems in France, including old and new lines, from the Ist of January to the 30th of December, 1867, both dates inclusive, amounted, on 9,065 miles, to £25,593,397, showing an increase of £1,880,230, and of 433 miles. The traffic receipts on the Paris and Mediterranean Railway amounted on 2,331 miles, to £8,338,386, against £7,736,183, on 2,183 miles, showing an increase of £602,203 ; the traffic receipts on the Paris and Orleans Rail way amounted, on 1,851 miles, to £4,213,372, against £4,062,049, on 1,812 miles, showing an increase of £151,323 ; on the Eastern of France Railway the traffic receipts amounted, on 1,650 miles, to £4,182,782, against £3,923,443, ou 1,594 miles, showing an increase of £259,339 ; on the Northern of France the traffic receipts amounted, on 870 miles, to £3,721,951, against £3,297,496, on 788 miles, showing an increase of £424,455 ; on *the NVestern of France Railway the traffic receipts , amounted, on 1,301 miles, to £3,370,272, against £2,986,093, on 1,245 miles, showing an increase of £384,179 ; and on the Southern of France the traffic receipts amounted, on 1,062 miles, to £1,766,634, against £1,707,903, on 1,010 miles, showing - an increase of £58,731 ; making the aggre gate receipts, as above, £25,593,397, against £23,713,167, showing an increase of £1,880,230. 5 per Cent., the Fitchburg Railroad $4 per sharp, and the Boston and Roxbury Mill Corporation $2 per share. _ _ The Springfield Republican says :—" A new rail way project has been commenced by Connecticut and New York capitalists, under the name of the Erie and New England Railway Company, by which Derby will be connected with Turner's sta tion on the Erie Road, by as direct a line as possible, not probably over 40 miles long, and ready and di rect communication thus opened from New Haven to the Pennsylvania coal fields. N. D. Sperry and Charles Atwater, of New Haven, have been chosen directors of the company, and Col. M. 0. Davidson appointed chief engineer to conduct the surveys in Connecticut. The corporation is backed by New York capitalists, and enough money for he preli minary operations has already been secured. The new movement is designed to take the Boston, Hartford, and Erie Railroad to the Hudson from Willimantic, through New Haven, instead of Hart ford, and by a route which is said to be 21 miles shorter. Ward and Broad, of Hartford, have contracted to build the bridge of the Boston, Hartford, and Erie Railroad, crossing the Quinebaug near Putnam. It will be a very expensive and im portant piece of work. company of Lawrence g per cent. The Coch e c o manufacturing company of Dover, New Hampshire, has T declaredheEveret a t i d n iv a i n d u e f n a d ct o u f ri s n has declared a dividend of $4O a share. The Stark mills at Manchester divide $5O per share paid out of funded profits. The Hartford and New Haven railroad company has declared a quarterly dividend of three per cent. The New York city National banks are generally declaring 5 and 6 per cent. semi-annual dividends. The Shore Line Railroad has declared a dividend of 3 per cent., and the Norwich and Worcester the same. The Boston and Providence 5 per cent. ; the Old Colony and New port 3 per cent., though netting 4 on the six months; the Vermont and Massachussets, $1 50. The New York Tribune has lately divided $lO,OOO to its stockholders—sloo per share—the first in a year and a half, after large investments in real estate and other permanent improvements. The following January Semi-Annual Dividends have been declared by the New York City Banks : —Marine Natiotial 6 per cent., Eighth National 5, Fifth National 5, New York National 5, Irving National 4, Ninth National 5, Mechanics' National 5, Citizens' National 5, Shoe and Leather National 5, Merchants' National 5, Second National 5, Bank of New York National 5, Bull's Head 4, Atlantic National 5, Market National 5, Hanover National 5, Chatham National 6, Metropolitan National 6, Importers' and Traders 5, North River 5, Fourth National 5, Tenth National 5. Grocers' National 5. Seventeen incendiary fires have occurred at Northampton, Massachusetts, within six months, most of which, it is believed, were caused by them. Kingsley is said to be their leader. lle was ar rested before the war, charged with similar crimes, but no direct evidence could be obtained against him. He enlisted, and while campaigning, not a single incendiary fire occurred in the town. The new mill of the American Print Works at Fall river was also burnt on the 15th by au incen diary fire. It was one of the first structures of the kind in the country, and its loss will be a great blow to the industry of th city, 500 hands being thrown out of employmo it The negro fomenter of insurrection in Alabama, Shorter, has been convicted and sent to prison for six months, but he escaped from gaol. The Stan dard's correspondent says the evidence in his exa mination showed that he was furnished with funds by parties in the North to go South and create a disturbance. In Greenville, Alabama, a negro asked a white woman to marry him ; she refused, and he shot her. Mr. Nethercutt was murdered near Newbern, North Carolina, and his wife shockingly abused. Num bers of murders of negroes by negroes are also re ported. The House of Representatives has lost two of its members, the one by murder, the other by suicide. The Hon. C. S. Hamilton, of Ohio, was killed on the 22d December by an insane son, who struck him on the bead with a plank while engaged in feeding his cattle. The maniac then pursued his mother with an axe, and failing to catch her, severely wounded his brother, and having cleared the neighbourhood covered his father's body with corn-stalks. Mr. Hamilton was a Republican, and was elected for the Eighth District of his State, October, 1866. On the 24th Deceml)er the steamship Raleigh, from New York for New Orleans, when about 20 miles off the Carolina coast, caught fire and was totally destroyed. The conflagration broke out at noon, and in five minutes the whole steamer was in flames. The boats were lowered, and 31 of the pas sengers and crew are known to be saved, but the commander, Captain Marshtnan, and many more are missing. Eighteen persons arrived at Charles ton on a tug, and 13 more in the third boat reached Kiowa inlet. Tugs from Charleston were sent to cruize on the scene of disaster, but failed to pick up any of the missing. The Raleigh was a long side wheel steamer belonging to the Atlantic Coast Mer chants' Steamship Company, and was worth 175,000 dollars, and was partly insured. The total loss is estimated at 400,000 dollars, but no account of her cargo has been received, as the purser has all the papers with him. The following are among those who safely reached the shore :—Purser M'Manus and his wife ; D. B. Rice, chief engineer ; Margaret Murths, stewardess ; Capt. N. R. Mills, officer of the New York police ; C. IV. Bartlett, chief officer ; Gordon Young, second officer ; Chas. Smith, quar termaster ; C. P. Marchman, jr., son of the cap tain ; Dr. J. Cass, Lawrence Sweeney, Jas. Brad ley, John Sloan, and Angelo Girragan, passengers, and seven of the crew. The lion. Elijah Ilise, of Kentucky, shot him self, declaring, as a letter in his pocket signified, that he could not look upon the destruction of the American Republic. The hallucination of this un fortunate gentleman has led to a most lamentable act, as the probabilities favour the chance that the man who is to live to see the end of the American Republic would have a very lengthened existence. A fire occurred in the Cumberland county poor house, Pennsylvania, which destroyed that portion of the building in which the coloured people and insane were confined, and a white man, and a white woman, and a negro were burned to death. The white man, who was insane, was chained to the floor, and in that position was literally roasted alive. A locomotive exploded at Reading, in the same State, Dec. 23, killing a fireman and an engineer. A patient in the Illinois State insane asylum, at Jack sonville, named Nicholson, was beaten to death with the leg of a table by Peter ichael, another inmate. As two policeman were running to an alarm of fire in Haverhill, Monday morning, Dec. 23, about two o'clock, they heard a noise in the Merrimack ti ational Bank, then a report, and saw a flash in the building. Policeman Burnham ran into the bank room, and was shot dead by a burglar, who ha'l.just made an abortive attempt to open the bank vault by blowing up the lock of the outer door. Officer Burnham was a man much respected as a citizen, and had been in the police force but a short time, having been detailed on account of the recent numerous petty robberies. The fire is supposed to have been done by the burglars, it being in a paint shop not far off, to divert attention. No one has been arrested. Policeman John Fenton, of Memphis, Tenness.:3, while attempting to arrest three drunken men on Christmas-day, was shot and mortally wounded, and a German lad named Joseph Schiller was killed by a stray shot. The assassins were arrested and held for trial. A negro boy named Boswell was shot in the head, and instantly killed, by another boy ; and some dozen persons, mostly negroes, were accidentally shot during the day by promiscuous firing of pistols. George Harc.trt, au Englishman of good family, disappeared mysteriously from St. Paul, Minne sota. Mr. Harcourt proceeded, from a drug store at St. Louis, to St. Paul, t) accept an offer made to him by one Masters, of a surgeon's position in an expedition about to be formed. A man named Van Solen, who had previously made Mr. Harcourt's acquaintance, accompanied him from St. Paul on the 18th August, 1863, on a fishing excursion. On that evening Van Solen returned, declaring that Harcourt had robbed him and decamped. This was widely published, and Harcourt's property was sold, and the proceeds appropriated by Van Solen. Six days after a corpse was found in the river near St. Paul's, and after a coroner's inquest was in terred. As Harcourt's friends heard nothing fur ther of him they became uneasy, and wrote to Van Solen, whose reply was seen to be in the handwrit ing of Masters, whose communication, offering the post, Harcourt had forwarded to his mother. In quiries were instituted, Van Solen arrested, and the case is now being tried. The skeleton of the body found in the river was produced in court, which the counsel declares can be shown to be that of Harcourt. The wholesale theft reported in our last, of which a bank messenger was the victim, has had a more agreeable denouement than generally expected. On Christmas morning a lad entered the chief police office in New York and gave the superintendent a parcel, which he said contained a Christmas present. Upon opening it he found all the checks, drafts, and other papers, to the amount of $3,683,439, which had been stolen from the bank messenger. The thieves, afraid to attempt their negotiation on account of the precautions taken, had adopted this novel mode of returning them to their owners, the Bank of the State of New York. If Mr. Hepworth Dixon had gone far enough West ho might have changed his opinion and given another sketch of Western morality than that supplied by Denver. In the Reese River Reveille we find a Dr. Todd and a Mrs. Ada Hoyt Foye, free lovers and spiritualists, shown up in no measured terms by a brother editor, who considers it his duty to follow these spiritualists and expose them :—" We can conceive no more disgusting exhibition than that afforded to the citizens of Washoe last Sunday evening, when Todd preached that matri mony inaugurated a family Hell upon Earth, and Foye exhibited the beauties of Free Love by hugging his splri teal affinity iu public." lADVEltrisZatliNT.)—Avoid Medicines: they always aggravate chronic complaints: but Du Barry's delicious health-restoring, Revalenta Arabica Food, which yields three tines the nourish ment of the best meat, saves st) times its cost in other remedies, and invariably restores perfect digestion, strong nerves, sound twigs, healthy liver, pure blood, refreshing sleep, functional regularity, am , energy to the most disordered or enfeebled. We extract a few out of 68,000 cures ;—" The Pope's health restored by Du Barry's Food. Cure No. 68,413. "Rome, July 21, 1866. —The health of the Holy Father is excellent, especially since, abandoning all other remedies, he has confined himself entirely to Du Barry's Revalenta Arabica Food. of which he consumes a plateful at every meal. It has produced a surprisingly bene ficial effect on his health, and his Holiness cannot praise this excel lent food too highly." From the " Gazette du Midi, July 25 Cure No. 58,216, of the Marchioness de Brehan, of seven years' liver complaint, wasting away, debility, nervousness, with a nervous palpitation all over, bad digestion, constant sleeplessness, and the most intolerable nervous agitation.." Cure No. 1,771; Lord Stuart do Decies, Lord Lieutenant of Waterford, of many years' dyspepsia. No. 49,832: " Fifty years indestribable agony from dyspepsia, nervousness, asthma, coughs, constipation, flatulency, spasms, sickness, and vomitiug.—Maria, Joly."—Cure No. 46,270: Mr. James Roberts, of Frimley, Surrey, of 30 years' diseased lungs, spitting of blood, liver derangement, and partial deafness. Important Caution.—Beware of the many unsavoury and more than sloppy imitations to which, without authority, Baron Liebio's name is most audaciously attached. In tins at is. 10.; fib., 2s 3d. 2 lbs., 4s. 6clj; 5 lbs., lle. ; 12 lbs., 228.; 24 lbs., 405.--BARRY DU BARRY and Co., No. 77, Aegent-street, London; also Fortnam and Mason, 182 Piccadilly; and at 61, Gracechurch-street; 4, Cheupside; 63, 150. and 289, Oxford-street; 330 Strand; and all grocers and Chemists, VICTORIA STATION AND PIMLICO. The half-yearly general meeting of this company was held yesterday at the offices, Westminster chambers, Victoria-street—Mr. W. Lee, M.P., in the chair. Mr. Bellamy, the secretary, read the report, an abstract of which appeared in The Sun. The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoption of the report, said that the affairs of the company con tinued to prosper, and they were prepared to pay the 9 per cent. dividend, which would not be dimi nished. He had nothing further to add, and would therefore be happy to answer any questions that might be asked. Mr. P. P. BLYTH, a director, seconded the mo ;ion, which was carried unanimously. On the motion of the CHAIRMAN, seconded by Mr. BLYTII, a dividend at the rate of 41 per cent. for the past half year, ending Dec. 31, was declared payable on the 16th inst. The retiring directors, Mr. W. Lee, M.P., and Mr. G. Witt, were unanimously re-elected, and also Mr. J. Ball, the retiring director. The proceedings concluded with a vote of thanks to the chairman and directors. GLASGOW AND SOUTH WESTERN. The directors of this company, in a circular to the shareholders, state that they have resolved to post pone for a period of two years the call of £2 10s. per share, with 5s per share premium, payable on the 10th of February next on the £lO ordinary shares of the company, in consequence of having arranged with the directors of the Caledonian Rail way for the line between Glasgow and Kilmarnock, via Barrhead, becoming joint property, thus involv ing the abandonment of the Kilmarnock direct line, and for which a bill is to be applied for in the session of 1869 to carry out this arrangement. The directors also take the opportunity of assuring the shareholders that the rolling stock and permanent way are in excellent condition, that no change has been made against the capital for repairs or re newals, and that for several years past great im provements in the rolling stock, with regard to materials, construction, and value, had been made entirely at the cost of revenue. NORTHERN OF FRANCE. The traffic receipts on this company's lines for the week ending the 30th of December amounted to £65,603, and for the corresponding week in 1866 to £60,041, showing an increase of £5,552. The total ttaffic receipts from the Ist of January to the 30th of December, 1867, amounted on 662 miles of old lines to £3,439,629, and on 208 miles of new lines to £2B2,322—together, £3,721,951 ; and for the corresponding period of 1866 to £3,129,436 on the old lines, and £168,060 on 126 miles of new lines— togethcr, £3,297,496 ; showing an increase of £310,193, or 9.91 per cent., on the old lines, and of £114,262 on the new lines ; making together an in crease of £424,455. IMPROVED INDUSTRIAL DWELLINGS (LIMITED). The report of the directors of this company states that, in addition to the £50,000, in £lOO shares, already allotted, £38,350 had been subscribed in £25 shares, making the total subscribed capital £88,350. Two blocks of buildings at Greenwich are now completed and ready for occupation. Thos. dwellings are upon the same plan as those at Pal merston-buildings, and comprise separate and dis c inct houses for 40 families. Two of the six blocks of buildings at Britannia -street are now completed and occupied. Two more blocks will be finished by March next, and two others will be ready for occu pation during the coming autumn. One block com prises separate and distinct tenements for 24 fami lies, and the other, on a new plan, 36 tenements of two rooms each. It was invariably found that the applications for tenements are always most nume rous, for the best kind of accommodation afforded by the company's buildings. The directors, there fore, feel strengthened in their resolve to keep the comforts and conveniences of the company's tene ments at as high a standard as possible commen surate with the means of the occupants. The ex perience of four or five years of the company's operations shows that the wants of the industrial classes are being met, and that the object for which the company was formed is being gradually attained. Contracts have been entered into by which the company will come into possession of the whole of the estate at Bethnal-green. It comprises nine acres of freehold land, at present covered by some hundreds of small houses. The purchase has been completed upon terms which will secure to the com pany a very fair profit upon the investment from the time of taking possession. Between £16,000 and £17,000 has already been paid on this account, and about £25,000 more will be required for the comple tion of the purchase. The directors contemplate effec ting considerable improvements upon the estate by the erection of houses adapted to the wants of the neighbourhood. An advance of £3,000 has been made by the Public Works Loan Commis sioners towards a loan of £6,000 on a mortgage of the company's property at Southwark and Green wich. Further loans, to the amount of £48,000 in all, have been promised upon mortgage of other properties belonging to the company. A contribu tion at the rate of 1 per cent. per annum upon the cost of the buildings has been charged to the debit of profit and loss, together with the usual contribu tions to the leasehold redemption funds, and the whole of the sum of £1,796 now standing to the credit of revenue account is available for distribu tion as the profits of the past half year. The di rectors propose that the usual dividend, at the rate of 5 per cent. per annum, shall be declared payable out of this sum, leaving £327 to be carried forward. The balance-sheet showed that £79,256 had been expended to the 31st December last. Superintendent Hoyt, of the New York and Newhaven Railroad, and other officials of that line, had some very uncomplimentary resolutions affect ing them, passed by the passengers by the express train from New York to Springfield, while the cars were detained in a drift for some 24 hours during the storm of the 12th December, for neglect and general inefficiency of management. At the special meeting of the stockholders of the Boston and Worcester Railroad corporation, held in Boston, Monday, Dec. 16, President Ginery Twichell presented the report of the directors, re commending that the stockholders should receive one share in the Boston and Albany corporation, and $lO in cash for each share of the Boston and Worcester stock. While the directors did not think that as much as the stockholders should receive, they urged it as a compromise which would at least promote the welfare of the new company. acre was but one dissenting voice—a stockholder who did'nt think the " Legislature had acted as it should." The Boston and Lowell Railroad will pay four per cent. Dec. 31, the Boston and Proyidence SENSATIONAL ITEMS. One of the most horrible railway accidents ever recorded occurred on the Lake Shore line, between Cleveland and Buffalo on the 18th December. The New York express train due in Buffalo at 12.45 p.m., when at Big Sister's-bridge, one quarter of a mile east of Angola, New York, either from a de fect in the rails or from their frosty condition, had two of its rear passenger cars thrown from the track, which rolled down an embankment fifty feet high. The train was heavily loaded, and was run ning very rapidly to make up for lost time. The rear car went over the embankment, was set on fire, and out of fifty of the passengers only two escaped. The rest were burned to death, and all left isa mass of blackened and charred remains, which were brought to Angola the next morning, and 23 buried with out recognition. It is thought that there were 50 passengers in the rear car, of 30 or 40 of whom nothing is left but ashes, and the number killed and wounded is not less than 80. It appears that the next to the last car of the train struck an iron frog at the switch, and being jerked from the track, was dragged over the ties nearly to the bridge before the end car got off the rails. The bridge is a " truss" 200 feet in length, spanning a creek at a height between 40 and 50 feet and destitute of parapets or rails. During the plunging a few of the passengers at the forward cud ran into the car ahead. Just as the train reached the bridge the last car was jerked from the track, and both ran so far across as almost to reach the bank, when they turned over and went with a fearful crash, rear car foremost, down an icy slope, fifty feet to the flat below. On that car which first struck the frozen creek the other was precipitated. Thus the passengers were first flung violently to the bottom, where there was a large stove, and on the mass fell the other stove, there being one at each end, while on the top of all crashed the other car. In a moment the wreck was in flames , and a few complete a tragedy w hich h a s horror. St. Catherine; P. 0., was m rarely i A n u y t e eb s ue s ee u gn f I man e au d na lt fromloe dn taken from the rear car in a dreadful state; his legs were flayed, and his breast and stomach were nearly roasted. He was alive at last ac counts, but there was little hope of his recovery. 'e unfortunate oc cu p an ts ex- While the car was bu rnin g a pistol in the pocket o p f lod s e o d m f e ro o n n l one of heaoftlt which was b urn i ng i ts owner, and the bullet, which came thr ough the car window, narrowly missed anoth er p asse nger. William Green, alad o f l7,had occupied a seat i n th e l as t q . t . , b ut wasleft behind at Dunki r k, an d escape d . accidentally A woman called Mary Freeman was found dead, with a handkerchief by her si de , bearing the name by which she is designa ted. A lady was taken fromwholly uninjured, the second car , and was found to be uninjured, there h a ppening to b e a s li g h t hi l l where she lay, but how she ca me th ere is a mystery. The following is a list of the killed an d woun d e d I N.y. ; Jasper Fuller so far as yet ascertained : age K e i t l 1 of ed —thMe roadrs. J. at M. State St line, rong , of Buffalo, N.Y. ; Mary Freeman, residence unknown J. P. Hayward, and wife, of Spartansburg, Pa.; Mr. Graves, residence unknown; W. H. Ross, of North Bend, Pa.; E. B. Forbush, of Buffalo ; Mrs. W. Freeman, of Nor wich, Pa. ; Mrs. Hubbard, of St. Cath • armes, P.O. ; and Frank Walker, of Buffalo. Among the addi tional dead recognised is S. E. Thompson, of Massachusetts. John IV. Chapman,of the firm of Manning, Glover and Co., of Boston, was among the number burned to death. He was one of the most esteemed citizens of Malden, and a man of much business influence. His life was insured to the amount of $25,000. Wounded—Anna Maria Sales and Mary Sales, of Corfu, N.Y. ; Mary Moore, of Brooklyn, N.Y. ; Mary Sheldon and child, of Corfu, N.Y. ; Mrs. IL A. Thomas, Utica, N.Y . . R. M. Russell, of Frank lin, Tenn. ; W. L. Pelton, of New York ; James Brown, of Buffalo, N.Y. ; Mrs. Laing and two children, of Groton ; Robert and Ann M'Carthy, of Princeton, 111. ; D an i el Carr, o f B roo kl yn, N . Y . ; Lydia Strong, of Buffalo, N.Y. ; Ira Woodcock and wife, of Syracuse, N.Y. ; Mrs. Furbush, of Buffalo, N.Y. ; Robert Stewart and wife, of Oneida, N.Y. ; Mrs. Hamlin, of Buffalo, N.Y. ; Wiunie M'Carthy, of Lowell; W. H. M oore, o f B roo kly n , N.Y. ; Albert Rivenber g , of Albion, N . Y . ; J. C . C r ibb , of Salem, Mas s . ; w. H. Thomas and W. H. Fuller, of Utica, N.Y . ; M, Copely, of Minnea polis, Minn. ; Mrs. L. H. Thomas, of Kenosha, Wis. ; Garret Hurley, of Corry, Pa. ; J. Mayer, of New York ; Charles W. Layne, of Utica, N.Y. Missing—Stephen Stewart, president of the Oil Creek Railroad ; Henry Jackson, of Illinois ; S. P. Howard, of New York ; James Walsh, of Brooklyn, N.Y. ; 1‘ . C. Patterson, of Oil Creek, Pa. ; Mrs. Fisher, of Minnesota ; Charles P. Wood, of Bu ffalo, N.Y. ; and A. E. Fisher, of Owatonna, Minn. The Passenger Insurance Company of Hartford loses $14,000 by the accident. On the 19th December ten cars of a freight train, on the Cleveland and Ohio Railroad, went through instead of over a bridge into a river, and the con ductor was killed. A few days before on the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania Railroad, a train ran off the track and killed an engineer. Joseph Marshall, a negro, murdered a German farmer, his wife, and two children, near Alton, Illinois, on Sunday week, and on Thursday he was taken from gaol and hung by a mob. A gang composed as follows—Quartus D. Kings ley, Edward L. Lewis, Patrick J. Kelley, Henry Pratt, James Mahar, and one or two others, have been arrested on suspicion of being incendiaries. SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. (From the Newmarket Correspondent of the Racing. Times.) The appearance of the entries for the Spring Handicaps indicates the near approach of the racing season, and as soon as the handicappers have cut out the work for the prophets, touts, and tipsters, they will all have cer tainties for their subscribers, indeed several of them can already prophesy the winner of the Chester Cup ; but I think the flats are not so plentiful as they were some few years back, when bookmakers were able to get some hundreds on a Chester Cup book long befcre Christmas. My advice to backers of horses is to wait and not throw their money away, and when the weights are out not to be tempted by the allurements held out by those who pretend to have the winners of all the spring handicaps ; and I promise the readers of the Racing Times to keep them from backing a lot of worthless horses, if they will only follow my advice, and I think the public will give me credit for speaking out very freely last year, telling them plainly that such and such great favou rites had no earthly chance of winning, and it never came off once against me all through the year. Mr. Topham will, no doubt, be first in the field with his Chester Cup Handicap; he has 140 horses to put together, so as to give them all an equal chance of winning, and I don't know a man more capable of performing such an arduous duty. There are very few Newmarket horses entered at Chester, as I can only count fifteen from all the large stables at head-quar ters. Blanton has three—Tormentor, Duke of York, and Demonstration; the two former were going to win races all last year, but did not. Tormentor was never a first-class mare, although she won the Oaks ; but there were a lot of bad ones behind her, and time gave us proof that they were a lot of rips. The Duke of York is a delicate horse to train, and not at all suited to the Chester course. Demonstration will, I have no doubt, pay his way this year, as he can stay, and will make a useful handicap horse, but more of him anon. Bloss has Blinkhoolie and Knight of the Garter. The latter could not get the Chester Cup course with any weight, a mile and a half being quite as much as he likes. Blinkhoolie is a useful horse, but not such a clipper as his Cesarewitch backers made out, when they took seven to four about him. Indeed I heard Mr. Chaplin tell the Admiral that he laid a bookmaker seven hundred to four against him, but, of course, it was hedging money. Joseph Dawson has Numa Potnpilius and. Knight Errant engaged. The former was first favourite for the Good wood Stakes last year at one time, but he is a bad horse, as I told your readers before the race, and his trial with the Peer makes him a worse horse than I thought him to be. Lord Stamford's horse was tried with him before the Liverpool Cup, and won his trial so easily that his lordship backed him for a large stake, but ho ran just as I told your readers he would do—nearly last. Knight Errant is a useful horse, but I think a mile and a half is about the distance he likes. Mat Dawson has only two in—not three, as we are told by a contemporary —as Prince Regent has joined Fred. Bates's string long since ; therefore he has only the Northampton Stakes winner and Contempt. Miss Havelock is about the worst mare that ever did win the Northampton Stakes, and Mr. Wood sold her well when he got 1,500 guineas for her ; and I was quite right when I stated at the time that she was, not worth half the money, as Madame Cleopatra could always beat her at even weights when Peter Price had them both. The same nobleman gave 3,500 guineas for Challenge, and matched him against Julius for another thousand, besides backing him for the St. Leger for a few thousands more. I was quite correct when I stated at the time that the Marquis would find out he was a very dear horse, and not worth oue quarter of the money—indeed it would take the Bank of England to keep up a racing stud purchased at such a rate. There has been a great deal written and said about the large amount of money it cost to buy the Earl in at the late Danebury sale, and that his noble owner has such a high opinion of him that he would not part with him at any price ; but it will be seen before the end of this year that he is not worth half the money, for whenever he met a racehorse he was always beat. The class of horses he beat in his first three wins, if they were all put up by auction to-morrow, would not realise six thousand pounds and I am determined, as long as I am capable of forming an opinion for myself, I shall always adhere to my own judgment of horses, heedless of whatever may be said or written by others ; and I am quite sure the Earl is an overrated horse, and has no earthly chance of winning the Derby whilst Lady Elizabeth, Rosicrucian, or Pace keep all right. But to return to the Chester Cup. Tom Dawson has twelya entered, and the best of his on the day will be worth backing; and the same may be said about John Day's lot. Lowe has four very:useful animals entered, Feodor, Chivalry, Yardarm, and Aggravator; and as they belong to men whe know what they are abliut, should they get well in, they will be a dangerous lot on the day. Hughes has three yearlings, Ackworth, Planet, and Red cap ; the former has already found his way into the betting at 50 to 1, but I really don't know what weight he could wiu with, and if Mr. Topham has no better opinion of Ackworth than I have he is sure to get well in. The time the Dauebury stable backed him was with Cannon up, and he was easily defeated by a bad horse. lam quite sure he has lost all - form, and the public will be deceived if they look out for another Flash in-the-Pan with Ackworth. Planet is as slow as a man, and the public saw enough of Reicap last year. Bates has Grand Cross, Cork Jacket, Clarice, and Prince Regent. The two former are very moderate, and Clarice is a wretch, although she lost the Duke of Hamilton the City and Suburban, for if Toni Parr had not brought her to Newmarket to try her with Wild Agnes, the latter would have cantered in at Epsom, her running after wards proving that she could have given any weight to the winner. I see last year's winner is entered, and backed again. We are told she is the best mare in England, bar Achievement, and that the Squire lost the Goodwood Cup by not running her. Now iu my opinion this is all rub bish, for surely it was no great performance for a four year-old to win a Chester Cup with 7st on her back; and what on earth did she beat in the Leamington Stakes? Pintail and Elinburgh were second and third—both very bad animals, especially the latter, who can beat nothing over two miles, for a mile is his favourite distance. When Beeswing ran in the Doncaster Cup she was backed by her owner, was last in Cie race, and Hermit was only running her at 121 b for the year ; and from the manner he beat her in the race either ho or Achievement could have given her 14 1 bs and be at her. I could select no fiftyt wino r ‘ s v e i s t h from w t h e g h C t, h a e t d e a C ra u p q u i e t t e t t sure r ! es t t h h e l t cl a c s o :o ld f x handicap ri s 7 horses w er e w o e ). had e w orsrunning r la i s a t m e year, lneb with r. L a e t f few e ce hope, for the honour of thernge year d lish thoroughbreds, this year, that we shall have some good three s w t e h e some of them win the handicaps, em to be carried off by spring and and I shall ypre n p o a t re a d ll o t such duffers as Miss Havelock and Eudsleigh. ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE IN• TEIZIOR,S OF THEATRES. Arc the interiors of our theatres constructed on the best principle? A proprietor or lessee would answer Yes ! unless it can be proved that a greater number of spectators can be crammed into the same space ; but having no interest in the profits of such estab lishments —merely forming part and parcel of the public—our reply is, No! Let us view the subject in this general light. Let us imagine ourselves to be the temporary possessor of a central stall, near the orchestra, in one of our principal play-houses, and record the impression left upon our mind by an inspection of the auditorium during an interval in the performance. We extend our gaze over the gentle rising rows of chairs —over the steeper gradients of the more elevated pit to mark that in the latter the audience is more closely packed, and much confined as it becomes lost in the obscurity of the overhanging dress circle. We incline our head backwards, looking from boxes to boxes, from gallery to gallery, to note that in all of these the spectators, on some back bench, seem with their heads to touch the low ceil ing (which is the flooring of a tier above), and serve as caryatides for its support, the upper gods having the honour to uphold the covering dome. Finally, we direct our vision towards the wings to behold ladies and gentlemen peering out of small apertures—like so 'luny cooing pigeons from their nests—constructed one over the other from the basement to the roof. We resume our seat, and, however soft may be its padding—nay, were we even at perfect ease, a sense of oppression steals over us from our inspection, which makes us conscious of being in the close vicinity of confined and suffering humanity. As this is our impression from below, let us ascend to the open boxes—to the galleries. No matter where, we find ourselves be neath a low roof, well knowing that immediately beneath are several stages of similarly constructed receptacles, singularly well adapted for the promo tion of perspiration in the patrons of the drama. Nor does our direct downward gaze excite any sen timent of envy, for there beneath, in the open area, society seems to be so herded together as to take the appearance of a vast impactment of barbers' rude blocks exhibiting chignons and back hair amidst a rising vapour of animal steam ; and (as part of the general public—a mere vulgar fraction) we come to the conclusion that, in a modern theatre, one cannot obtain a tithe of the freedom of respiration, of movement, and of general comfort which a beast enjoys at a Smithfield cattle show when held at the Agricultural Hall, Islington. In these temples of dramatic art, on crowded nights, discomfort reigns paramount ; humanity fills every seat below, and all standing room around ; huma nity lines the _walla to vaulted roof, perched on narrow shelves or crammed into be-curtained holes, and every one feels as hived in with an over-swarm of his own species. How different are most of our concert rooms ! How different was the late St. Martin's Bail ! There, the single balcony was so slight, in proportion to the space of the interior, that its additional num bers were not felt. There, ventilation was ever secured, and one could listen in ease and comfort, devoil of all sensation of oppression —all thought of captivity. Wisely has Mr. German Reed re tained all the advantages of a concert-room in his transformation of St. George's llall into an opera house. He has made no attempt to heighten the roof or give the interior its usual horse-shoe form of circling galleries, and many in consequence may affirm it to be no theatre ? We cavil not at such want of distinction. Let it be the concert-room still, with the addition of a stage —a. Etage, how ever, suitable to its object, and it is, nevertheless, the most comfortable building for witnessing a dramatic performance in London. We sincerely wish a similar one was exclusively at the disposal of our amateur friends.---Racing Times and Amateur Dranzatic Chronicle. RIVERS POLLUTION COIILIIISSION. Her Majesty's Commissioners appointed to in quire into the pollution of rivers, having presented three reports—namely, Ist, on the Thames ; 2d, on the river Lea; and 3d, on the rivers Aire and Cal der, the seat of the worsted and woollen trade of the West Riding of Yorkshire—we learn, from no tices issued, commence to-morrow, at Liverpool, an inquiry into the pollutions of the rivers Mersey, Irwell, and their tributaries, on which are seated the great cotton trades and other manufactures. Liverpool and Birkenhead are ports situate on the river Mersey, near to the estuary, washed by tides regularly, and with so vast a volume of water as not in themselves either to pollute the river water to any serious extent or to be sub jected to inconvenience from inland river pollu tions ; but as the entire sewage from these towns and their suburbs, from Runcorn to New Brighton and Formby, including a population approaching to one million persons, passes from both sides, Lanca shire and Cheshire, direct into the river, it is consi dered advisable to obtain facts, if even they are for the most part negative, as to this sewage so dis charged causing nuisance injurious to health. Probably the Commissioners may think it neces sary to ascertain at about what point of the Mere-sea—the old name for the river Mersey— the vast inland pollutions cease to be observed. At Runcorn, and at Widnes immediately oppo site, and 'at Warrington and St. Helen's, there are alkali works, soap works, and some other large manufactories, which pollute the tribe. tary streams, canals, and also the river Mersey at this point to a fearful extent. The Sankey Canal is so polluted by fluids that-iron boats have had to be abandoned, and limestone at the canal locks has been removed, and sandstone substituted. A visitor may see many acres of ground covered with solid alkali waste, from which the rain washes all that is soluble, and it is, no doubt, some of this refuse which causes so much mischief and destruc tion. Lord Derby's Act has reduced the nuisance formerly caused by the gases which were allowed to escape into the atmosphere; but at present some form of protection is required for earth and water. The rivers and their tributaries above Warring ton are polluted in such a degree as to be the cause of nuisance over the entire manufacturing district—not so much by cleansing, spinning, and weaving cotton, as by bleaching, printing, dyeing, paper Making, chemical and other similar works. Then there is the sewage of the entire population (upwards of two millions), which is allowed to pass direct into the streams ; the water of all these streams, and also of the canals, being required for power or use of some sort, much of it for steam boiler purposes ; and in summer, or at any time when there has been continuous dry weather, the en tire volume of water is heated so as to evaporate and appear as if boiling. Much as the streams are pol luted by fluids, they are probably more abused by filling in of solids, as furnace ashes, spent solids from print works, bleach works, dye works, paper-making, and chemical waste, refuse from mines, from foundations, and from roads. We learn this much from the reports already published, especially from the third report and evidence rela tive to the West Riding district of Yorkshire. From a report published in a Sunderland newspaper, we also learn that the river Wear is most seriously damaged for navigation purposes by the filling in of solids in the tributaries, such as mine refuse, ashes, &c., the total, it is stated, amounting to hun dreds of thousands of tons per annum. The harbour commissioners at Sunderland consider it absolutely necessary that better river conservancy should be established. The law applicable to riparian ownership is at present either uncertain or ill defined. The right to the soil iu the bed of a stream or river is supposed to belong to the riparian owners, but there is no recognised authority, as a conservator, to control such owner or owners in the use of the banks of any stream, or in building. The middle line longitudinally is usually the line of division betwixt opposite ripa rian owners ; but if one man builds upon such cen tral line a large factory—and the case has happened in some places—and the opposite owner claimed and exercised a similar right, the stream must be effectually blocked, and would then flood all above such block, or would force a new channel in some other direction. Again, if a weir is constructed or the stream is walled and arched over so as to ob struct floods, great damage is caused to local pro perty. These forms of abuse and injury are com mon in manufacturing districts. It may be truly said, " There is the common law which may be put in force to restrain such forms of abuse." No doubt there is that legal power, but under existing complications it has 'ceased to be available, or is only capable of an unjust applica tion. River abuse, for the most part, begins at the fountain head of a stream, and is continued down to the estuary; the active prosecution of individuals or even of single towns is therefore generally au in justice, as the entire community is involved in voluntarily in river pollution. The evil has become national, and requires some form of Imperial remedy. We do not expect that the vast trade of this country can be carried on, and yet that we shall restore our rivers to an absolute state of purity ; but we do hope that the Rivers Commission, after pointing out the chief forms of abuse, will be enabled to suggest some practical, common sense remedy whereby the chief evils now endured may be abated, and even with advantage to trade and ntanufactures. We shall, at all events, look forward with interest to the Report No. 4 on the rivers Mersey, Irwell, and Ribble pollutions, which are chiefly iu Lancashire, the seat of the cot ton trade Births. CIIAERINGTON—On the 13th inst., the wife of Spencer Charriugton, Esq., of a daughter. ROMAINE—On the 12th iast., the wife of W. G. Romaine, Esq., C. 8., Secretary of the Admiralty, of a daughter. WHITLOCK—On the 13th inst., at 1, Grove Villas, The Grove, Clapham-road, the wife of T. Leo Whitlock, of a son. Marriages. ALDER—LAWRENCE—On the 9th inst., at Trevethin, Mon mouthshire, the Rev. Herbert Alder, Seaton, Devon, to Theresa Anne, eldest d aug h ter o f David Lawrence, Eq. of Wain \Vern House, Pontypool. HoNNYwiLL - STEPHENSoN— the 9th last., at All Saints' Church, Ennismore-place, the Rev. John Blake Honey-- will, vicar of Samptin7, in Sussex, to Anne Jane Mon tagne, daughter of Lady Mary and the late Henry Prod. Stephenson, E.q. Deaths. BROKE —On tho 11th inst., at 4, Bolton-row, Mayfair Charlotte, wife of Horace Broke, Esq., aged 37. COLLINGWOOD—On the 12th inst., at Dissington Hall, Northumberland, Edward Colliugwood, Esq., aged 45. LomAs—On the 11th inst., at Richmond, Surrey, Robert Lomas, Esq., surgeon, aged 80. MILLER -On the 12th inst., at Froyle, Alton, Hants, Sir Charles Hayes Miller, Bart., aged 30. PHILLIPS —On the 12th iust., at Glanarberth, Cardigan shire, Arthur Lert Phillips, Esq., aged 46. WHETSTONE—On the 12th inst., at Highlield House, Leices ter, Josh. Whetstone, Esq., aged 68. London : Printed and Published by WILLIAM ANDREWS of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at Tun Sun Office, No 112, Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the County o Uiddlogx."-TtlevitlY, 'January 14, _1868._, AFTER After Dru After Ha 3 Atter Aac After 013 , After Smi After Nev After 81.. After l'rit Lou,lou Siugh THE N UNCHEt CUI &e. Private BEXT Opp TO On awl aft P.m. to One T his eelobr Prize M edal. It is P ure, I Sold in Bot. the Agents in ba o s LL v B i le \ G \ r t 113 Aff - UTU/ -LT 4 - it. RUSSE ADVANCES' hold or Lease able weekly, F orms free or ,__ 3TADAT A eLife-sizePegl3,nd, Am 71 PREDER :0 Brrors. Ope ARGYL This h a magnii been Alessrs stor the AU - 71 : Solo Cornet, T H ,T,lppOruNi i e n f i r g p o a na t i. E NFERS I AIERRY CI il enrY • Meq Pull Ilessrs. Pap , COMEDY /P , R, PRE ALFRED I w . this evening In jiht M ,: ,,, --------- neio e s,t_ ul : ) nt s eo ri i ,ne,t a e ;:,,ri lv ; tT ° li i a s, ' o i lv tn t ahr i l \ee, : e . aa s , : fvr , p : to : lrTt. ' CANTEI and,,, Crystal P .I;ll,rrett, and )7 ,,..E., and 'NJ ' Bl e bY Alf The (,real tie,,,, (3 Oirarde G eorg' L i t ,:d bugl es of lq i .:Tsien of tlfi s fr ed Le ~ assistat) Area' Gd.; Sta bri q; .I P4PrOa Bros cli EY BARVI ,orn ic bati tour. ad "' l nger, Full Orche, th e Great The Ih e A oor at • th, Mit chell'st . j alin I O'clock. S ; S P YIS] Ilk ( u ' es wh• 246 , 'U gellt gh 11, W°l\TE ime r'arqv iu 01 nlq 011 ?Ai ITATR- Imiew Lon( 4. CO., c. — Flag of .01 GREY ALE ' 4 eet ri; ( "a 144 .ttit _ • k i n u . 11 PLona a r i i r e "4u11).-128, FTMPL 24 9d. and 7 8, Nigh AJR te n head 'aYs the 21 471 ,, a5i0n a JustU GLIN 4 P.ar.: leser bait 3 1- Pie (if A i,, t uric dl4 i s • They Will nguishe( any teeevtl'lrev, .t.Facti on or uaru t ( ic l uiallO r n rc , tiered sound ORMS: itiP Park kted, 1827. Patrol Aid to this I.t the ofile°Bl '---__________ lit ALTIE RI bu BA; and II