The Sun. — London, England, 1871-01-07 00:00:00

MONETARY REPORTS,--YESTERDAY. In the Stock Exchange to-day the business has been very moderate. In all classes of securities the transactions have been on a limited scale, and prices have been without movement of importance. As regards rail ways, South-Eastern, Great Northern A, and Great Eastern have been rather better, but Midland, North- Western, and Great Western have receded in value. In the foreign bond market the fluctuations have been trifling. Consols have been quiet, at 92, 92i for delivery. and 92 1-16, 92 3-16 for February ; Reduced and New Three per Cents., 91k, 92; Bank stock, 232, 234 ; Exchequer Bills, 10s. to 15s. prem. ; India Five per Cents. have been done at 110, 110} ex div. ; and India Bonds, 225. to 275. piem. The market for English railway stocks has been in an unsettled state, but the movements have been about evenly balanced. Great Northern A has risen 1, South Eastern 1, and Great Eastern 1, but Midland, North Western, and Great Western have receded 1 ; Metropolitan, 631, 64 ; Caledonian, 87, 871 ; Brighton, 411, 411 ; South Eastern, 761, 76/ ; Great Northern A, 136, 1361; Great Eastern, 39a, 391 ; North Eastern, 1451, 146 ; Midland, 1291, 1291 ; North Western, 1291, 1291; and Great Western, 72, 721. Indian railway stocks have sold slowly. Bombay Baroda, and Central India, 1031 xd. ; East Indian, 1081, 1 xd. ; Great Southern of India, 1021; Scinde, 101. Canadian shares have been flat. For foreign shares there has been a moderate demand. Recife and San Francisco have risen / or to 141 to 151. Lombards have marked 141, San Paulo, 211, and Central Argentine, 20/. The foreign bond market has been characterised by quietness. At the commencement of busi ness, the tone was firm, and prices had an upward tendency. Spanish opened at a fractional improvement, which, howeve, was subsequently lost, the closing quotation being 291, 29/ ; Turkish Five per Cents. have been I better at 43i to 431 ; Peru vian, 1865, are quoted at 901 to 901 ex. div. ; Egyptian, 1868, 78 to 781; Italian, 1861, 53i to 541; Turkish, 1869, 501 to 501; Mexican, 131 to 141; United States Five- Twenty, 1882, Bonds, 891 to 891; ditto, 1885, 891 to 891 ; French Scrip, 1 to 11 die. ; and German, 11 to 2 prem. Bank shares have been quiet. Imperial Loan marked 171; Imperial Ottoman, 111 ex div.; Loadon and West minster, 641,1, and Oriental 41. Telegraph shares have been flat. Anglo-American have been 1 lower, at 75, 77 ; British Indian Submarine, 6 15-16 ex div.; Falmouths, 81, 9 ; French Cables, 131 ; Hooper's 61; Silver's, 451 ; and Constructions, 24k, /. In Miscellaneous securities transactions have been restricted. City offices, 10 ; Fore-street Warehouse, 21 211; Peninsular and Oriental Steam, 461, 471. No bullion operations have been reported at the Bank to-day. _ . As regards the exchanges, bills on Vienna are in re quest, and the rates are easier. We are requested to state that, owing to a slight in- formality in connection with the Brazilian law, which has been made in the prospectus of the Porto Alesse Brazilian Railway Company, but which does not in any way affect the value of the enterprise, the board of directors have determined to return the deposit at once, and to offer the preference capital for subscription again in the course of a few days. In the discount market business has been on a limited scale. There has been but little inquiry for accommoda tion, whilst the supply of capital is more extensive. The rate for negotiating three months' paper has been 2i, 2i per cent. . Messrs. Pixley, Abell, Langley, and Blake thus report on the state of the bullion market :—Gold : The large amount by- the Overland Mail has been delivered this week, and, as we anticipated, has all been sold for the Continent. The other arrivals have been small, com prising only £16,000, per Mary Shepherd from Auckland, and £2,000 per McGregor Laird, from Africa. These have also been taken for export, and the demand still exists, although we think not to such a great extent as In the early part of the week. The transactions at the Bank consist only of an influx of £40,000 and a withdrawal of £lO,OOO, sovereigns, sent part to Egypt, and part to the West Indies. Silver continues in good demand, but with out any rise in price, which remains at old. to 601 d. per ounce standard. We have received about £50,000 from New York and about £190,000 from India and China; this latter sum consisted of Dore silver and was placed at 61 1-16 d. per oz. standard, but transactions have since taken place at 61d. per oz. standard. Mexican dollars continue in fair demand, but are taken chiefly for refining purposes, the orders for China being but very small. The price remains at 58 d. and 582 d. per oz. for the old and new coinages respectively. FOREIGN EXCHANGES.—BeIgium, three months' date, 25 32k, 25 37/ ; Phris, short date, nominal ; ditto, three months' date, nominal ; Marseilles, ditto, 25 45, 25 50; Italy, ditto, 26 85, 26 90 ; Holland, short date, 11 17, 11 18 ; ditto, three months' date, 11 191, 12 00 ; Hamburgh, ditto, 13 10-1, 13 10/ ; Frankfort-on-the-Maine, ditto, 1201, 1201 ; Berlin, ditto, 6 26/, 6 27 ; Vienna and Trieste, ditto, 12 72/, 12 77/ ; St. Petersburgh, ditto, 292, 291 ; Madrid, ditto, 49/, 49} ; Barcelona, ditto, 49i, 491 ; Cadiz, ditto, 49-2, 49/ ; Lisbon, 90 days' date, and Oporto, ditto, 521, 521. LONDON STOCK EXC HANG E.-FRIDAY. LATEST PRICES.-AFTER OFFICIAL HOURS. The prices under the lines indicate the business done. GOVERNMENT SECURITIES. Three p 52 er C Account Consols 92 921 DoApr l il &Oct l 1883.85.. 11111123 1 x d 123, , Do for 92 921 Vict 5p c Jan& JulylB94. 101 102 923, 1 x d 1011 x d Three per Cent Reduced 92 921 Brazilian, 1865, -1 sp a .... 92 93 92, 1. 11 921, 1, New 3 per Cent 921, 11. 21 Do Rail Deben 7p a .. 99 100 Exchequer Bills, March 1 0 15 pm 291 . 4 . 1, i x d pm Italian, 1865, 5p a Do, June lO 15pru Peruvian, 1865, 5p a .. • • 895 001 140 pm 901, 3, 893, fli x d Bank Stock 31 x d India 5 per Cents 1101, 10 x d Russian B43 . 1862, 5 p a.. .. 83 85 I ndia Bonds — 66 67 Do Nicolas 4 p c 265. 25s pm Can 6pa Jan&Julyll7 7-84 103 3 1043 663, I 29* 30 Do March & Sept. 104 106 Spanish Do 5p a Jan & July .. 97 98 291, 1,8, 3 x d 971, 8x d Turkish. 1854, tip c Do Inscribed Stock .. 96 98 78 431 44 961, 71 x d Do, 1865. 5 p 0 Dom of Can 5p c 1903 ' . 98 100 43 1, 3 Ceylon 6 p c May an d Do, 1865 6 p a November 1878 lO6 108 583 x d Mauritius I. pc Jan and U. 8.5-20 Bouds,6p o 1883 89/ 891 July 1873 lOl 103 891. I New SNV ales 5 p clB7l-76 993 1003 Do do 1885 891 891 New Zealand 6 p c 1891 lO6 108 891, 1 Do 5p a Do 5p e Consolidated 100 101 871, 81 1001 ErieSha, 100 dots, all paid Do 6p c Mar &Sept 1891 109 111 Illinois Central Shares .. 114 115 Do June & DeclB9l 108 110 1141, 3, 1 V ict 6p c Jau & July 1891 113 114 Atlantic and (I W R Con Mortgage Bonds RAILWAYS. Bristol and Exeter l9 21 Do Equip Mort Bnd 1 90 charge 0 1) 0 Caledonian 871, 1, .1 Do 2nd do Scrip .... 85 . 85 Great Easter' I 391, i Do Ist Frei 80nd5.... Great Northern Do A 13511361 2nd I'ref Stock 1361 Do mill Pref Stock . Great Western 72 721 Grand Trunk of Canada 7 2 1, L I 4th Fret Stock g 5, 0 10 17 5 1 106 14 Lancas hire & Yoikahlre 1341105 Great Indian Pen 135, 41, 5 1051, 3 x d Lon, 'high. and S Coast 41 411 Great Western oiCanada 15 151 411, i Do op c Bonds, 187.1 9B 100 Lou, Chat, and Dover .. 14 141 Do 54 do. 1877-8 O6 97 141, 14 Do 5 p c pref. iasued 80 par lam Lon an NNorlth-Western 129 1211 Madras guar xd s pc 1291, 1023 Lon and South-Western 91 92 N. Railway of Canada, 911, 1 6p c Ist ['ref Solids Man, Sher, and Lincoln 45 151 Dude and Rohilkund g 45 5 p c Metropolitan 64 , 3i, i ... Delhi guar 5p c Midland . 12911291 101 x d 1291, 30 Bahia and San Francisco North British 34 Belgian NI Junction .... 21 2! North-Easteni GODSON 14511461 24 146, 1, 51, i, 3, 6 Buemos Ayres Gt Sthrn.. 45126 South-Eastern 76 761 Duuaburg and Witepsk 184 19 76/, 4 Dutch-Rhenish 22 22 Atlantic and St Lawroce 75 77 Eastern of France — 3ombay, Baroda, and Great Lu xembourg Central India. g 5 p c.. 1021103/ Lemberg Czernowitzgua 1033 ,23 x d 7 p . 15} 15 c Buff and Lake Huron .. 4 44 Northern of France ... • Do 51 pc Bonds,lBl2-3-4 79 81 Ottorn(Smyrna to Aidin) 42 5! 79 Recife and San Francisco Cape guar 6p c East Bengal guar 5 p c 10211031 15 1033 x d San Paulo IL) guar 7p c 21 1 22 East Indian, g 5 p e Lom-Ven 141 14 i 1081, 3, 1 x d South Aust. Grand Trunk Canada Southern of France .... 58 53 BANKING COMPANIES. Pd 1'd 1 Agra Bank IL) A 7l 81 10 Imperial Ottoman .. 11 llpin 25 Alliance If.) 10 Anglo-Austrian 20 Anglo-Egyptian (L) 21 210 20 London anti County 491 50. 50 British 24 American 51 52 15 London Joint-Stock ?.51i 61, 20 Ch of India, Austrlia 13 14 20 Lon and Westminster 64 65 130 641, 1 25 Char Merc of India 221 231 10 Metropolitan B2 91 10 City 25 Colonial 4 Consolidated (L .. 20 Eng. Scot. and Ana C 15( 160 25 Union of Australia.. 411 420 23 Imperial ail 170 TELEGRAPH COMPANIES. Pd Yd 100 Angio-Americau LI 75 77 6 Great N. China, and 77. 5) Japan Extension.. 8 13 10 Anglo-M.editrn (L) 117 190 81 119 5 -Indo-European (L),. 10 12 100 Atlantic lO Marseilles, Algiers. 100 Do 8p c — and Malta (L) ... 51 51 10 British Australn(L) 5 41dis 10 Mediterrn Ex (Lc .. ‘b 5 3 21 Pnma and S. PcfolL 4 3 dis 10 British Ind Exten (L). 51 6} dia 10 British Indian Sub- 8 Renter's marine, IL) 6 15-16 x d 61 71 20 Soc Trans France (L) 131 1 31 131, 1 China Submarine IL) 5/ 51(lis 100 Submarine 237 242 10 Falmouth, Gibraltar, Do Scrip 2l 21 and Malta (L) B‘, 9, 1-16, 9 10 Great Northern 111, i x d MISCELLANEOUS SECURITIES Pd Pd Anglo-Austrian Bud- 100 Po 6p c Bonds. re holders Certificate 21 34 deemat:e 1870 62 64 10 BerlinWaterworks(L) 141 15} 10 London Fin Assoc(L)lBll79.lis 30 Bolckow-Vaughan L) 23 33pm 121 100 Boston City (U.S. 4 Lon Gen Omnibus .. 2 3 p c Sterling Loan 93 95 2 13-16 4 Brit & Fgn Marine( L) 3 31pm 2 Lou & Prov Marine L) 1 1 pro 35 Canada Company. 71 73 21, 1 10 Ceylon Company L) n 31dis 100 Madraslrrig. &Canal 35 City Offices (L) 253243 die g 5 n c by Ind Gov. 100 102 10 2 Mauritius Laud (L) 1 1 dis. 20 Colonial (L) 5 Com Union Assumee 41 43pm 5 NatnlDisetComp L) 111 12 92.1, 1 111, 2, 12 10 Crdt Fonc of Eng (Li 2 21 21 N Zealand Loan and 21, 3-16 Mere Agency IL) . • $ I`, pm 100 Crystal Palace 100 Do Pref 100 Doh p c Perp Deb.. 109 114 6 1 N Britsh and Mere (L) 281 283 271 Ebbw Vale Steel L).. 91 91dis 5 OceanMarinelnsur l3l 14pre 100 Viceroy of Egypt 7p o 50 P and 0 Steam 46 4S Mortgage Loan.... 79 81 461, 71 801 10 Do do New. 1867 3 2 die 100 Egyp 9 p cV'roy Loan. 8, 7 guar by Egyp a3V .. 94 96 50 Rhymney Iron • 951, 41 15 Do New Bl 91 13 Fore-st Warehouse IL) 8 9pm 60 Royal Mail Steam 211, 1 531, 4 100 Fgn and Colonial Gov 12 Tel Con and Main L) 241 9 41 Trust 6p c Bonds.. 98 100 241, 3, 1 71 Gen Credt &Dimt (L) 31 dis 2 Themes and Mersey 7 5.15 Marine Insur IL 14 Gen Stm Navigation 271 281 Tobacco 6 p c Loan 7 Hooper's Tel Works I Idle guar by Italian Gov 86 88 61 5 Trust and Loan Co of 17 Hudson's Bay 72 8 Upper Canada .. _ 1 Ipm 45 Indrbbr,GutPer,aud 5 U Marine, Lvpool IL 44 41pin Tel Works L) .... 45 46 20 Union Steamship (L) 23 55 451, 1 6 IjnitedDisCorprn IL ldis par 5 InternlFinan Soca) 11 13dis 5 UnlVMarinelnsur (Li 6 7pm 20 It Irrig Can Cavour 33 4 12 Warrart Finance.... 9 7 die TH h. SUN,''' LON DON, SATUB DA V JANUARY 7, 187 A DANGEROUS LEAD IN A FOG. Between ten and twelve o'clock on Thursday night a very extraordinary circumstance occurred in Hartlepool Bay, which narrowly escaped causing the loss of a fleet of vessels on the Longscar rocks. About the first-named hour a dense fog enveloped the bay, rendering the ap proach to either harbour dangerous and difficult, espe cially as several vessels arrived simultaneously. Follow ing the lead of a French lugger, which was in tow of a Shields steam tug called the Rapid, they as well as the two latter, all went on to the great reef of rocks known as the Longscar. The name of the lugger was the Avenir, Captain Deligny, of and from Gravelines, and the ships which fol lowed her unfortunate lead were the schooner Sovereign (Smithson), of Poole ; the brig Sussex (Holben), from Shoreham ; the brig Nio (Gerrard), from London ; the schooner Gourie (Heigho), from Rochester; the schooner Phoenix (Ditchburn), from Hastings, all bound for East Hartlepool; and the brig Brilliant (Clarkson), f rom London , bound for West Hartlepool. Very fortunately, the wind, as is usual in thick weather, was quite calm, and the vessels beinz in ballast none of them were much injured, but if the wind had shifted to the eastward the coast would now have been strewn with their wrecks, and possibly the dead bodies of some of their crews. Happily, any calamity of this kind was averted, as the tide was rapidly flowing, and about midnight, an hour or two be fore high water, the fog suddenly clearing and the wind springing up fresh from W.S.Vir., the first five of them were able to back off the rock with their own canvas, the Brilliant was towed off by the West Hartlepool tug William Charles, and the Vrenchnian by the Rapid, their injuries being purely nominal. THE ECLIPSE E URXGENTPEDITION --H.M.S. Her Majesty's screw transport Urgent, Captain S. H. Henderson, arrived at Portsmouth on Thursday morning on her return from Oran Gibraltar, and Cadiz, with the parties of he r t o scientific observe tnhe and e c hn t ei r eclipse. assistant InwhadodlietfitonEtnhge lUrgent also brought ho me Lord Lindsay's party, the American expedition , a nd the Messrs. Penrose, Fison, and Airey, and Hammond. On the Urgent arriving at Gib ralta on the outward voyage, Captain Salmon and ten non-commissioned officers and men of the Royal Engineers were taken on board and proceeded to Oran, where they rendered the greatest assistance to the party of observers Othe construction of a temporary ob intended observations servatory, While at ran strong gales prevailed, and the were but imperfectly effected, as has been already stated in letters received from Gibraltar, owing to the prevalence of cloud. The Urgent left Oran with the observers on their return on the 24th of December, having strong westerly winds and a fresh gale on Christmas Day. Gib raltar was reached on the 28th, and the detachment of Royal Engineers was disembarked, and the observers, with their instruments, left there were again taken on board. The Urgent resumed her voyage for Cadiz and homewards. At Gibralter, although the Urgent's party of observers met with but imperfect results, like their brethren at Oran, from the deck of a ship at the Mole and from two other points on the Rock good observations were reported to have been taken. The Urgent arrived at Cadiz on the 30th of December, and, having received on board the persons left there, together with Lord Lindsay's party, she immediately left again for England. Between Cadiz and Gibraltar strong westerly winds were ex perienced. From Cadiz to near Cape Ushant fine weather prevailed, succeeded by strong head winds up Channel. Immediately on the Urgent's arrival at Portsmouth on Thursday morning the parties of observers landed at the dockyard, and left for London by the midday up trains. The following naval and military passengers were also disembarked at the dockyard from the Urgent, from Gibraltar :—Lieutenant Watkin, R.A., Messrs. Gardner and Wilson, naval cadets, from the Cadet Training Ship Trafalgar, eight naval invalids, five military prisoners, one soldier, and one child. The engines have done their work very efficiently, and the ship is ready to enter upon any further work for which her services may be required so soon as her coal and stores are filled up. The Caledonia has arrived at Naples with Mr. Lockyer and the naval stores. She was detained by bad weather and the court-martial at Malta on the com mander of the Psyche. The commander was merely censured, as it was proved that he was engaged with the eclipse expedition when the ship struck. The Psyche has broken up, and the Italian Government is assisting in the salvage. "It is understood" (says the (Levant Herald) " that Turkey will be represented in the approaching Conference by Musurus Pasha, the Ottoman Ambassador London." THE SPEAKERSHIT. Notwithstanding rumours afloat, it is believed in well-informed quarters that the Speaker will not retire at the opening of the session. " JENKINS " ABROAD.-At a recent fashionable ball in New York a mild-mannered man approached an elaborately-dressed lady and said, " Will you please tell me what you have on? A fashion reporter wants to know." THE FAILURE OF MESSRS. HARVEY OF MAN CHESTER.—The creditors of Mr. Henry Wightman Harvey, trading as H. W. Harvey and Co., baize and leather cloth manufacturers, Albert Works, West Gorton, Manchester, held a meeting on Wednesday at the offices of Messrs. E. Storer anc Co., solicitors, Fount tin-street, when it was re solved to liquidate the estate, and in the event of its not realising 10s. in the pound, besides expenses, the debtor to pay up to that sum.—Manchester Examiner. A NEW TURKISH JOURNAL—EarIy in January a new journal will be published in French and Turkish, as the official commercial organ, under the title of Takvimi Tidjaret, or Moniteur du Commerce. It is to publish all the judicial and commercial announcements of Government, and matters of a similar nature, and will be posted up . in all the public offices of the Empire. The iracM authorising the publication has issued, and the new paper will be con ducted by M. A. de Peraldi, already known in journalism. Levant Herald. THE VOLUNTEERS.—The official return of efficients of the Bristol Volunteer Rifle Corps for 1870 shews ex actly an equal number with that of the previous year, but the number of those who have earned the extra grant of 10s. shews an increase of 62. The latter result is satisfac tory, but is attributable to an alteration in the regulations respecting ball practice. In the musketry return there is an increase in the number of those who have fired; the first-class and second-class men are considerably in excess of last year, while the number of marksmen is about the same. THE FENIAN " COLONEL " Bunim—The friends of the Fenian convict " Colonel " Ricard Burke, who has been for some time past confined in the Broadmoor Asylum as an insane convict, have lately applied to the Home Office for his release under the Queen's amnesty, the application being made through the solicitor who defended him. The answer from the Home Office in reply, after reminding his friends that the Fenian prisoners were pardoned on " cer tain conditions," goes on to say :—" The state of mind of Ricard Burke is reported to the Secretary of State to be at the present time such as to render him incapable of such acceptance and performance of the condition. The conditional pardon, therefore, cannot be granted to Ricard Burke. The mode of dealing with the case is under the consideration of the Government, and is not yet decided." The letter is signed by Mr. Bruce's secretary, Mr. Liddell. FRENCH AR➢IAMENTS.—The storehouses at Bor deaux have lately been the scene of great excitement. They have been cleared of their merchandise for the pur pose of furnishing room for the Committee of Armaments to place the arms they have purchased for the service of the State. During the last six weeks it has supplied 430,000 arms and more than 70,000.000 cartridges. Before the end of January it will supply 270,000 weapons, nearly all of them breechloaders. When it is remembered that Palikao could not succeed in producing more than 4,000 guns in a month, the Government of the National Defence has reason to rejoice at not having followed the administrative scheme of the Empire in the question of providing armaments. LYONS AND THE FRENCH PRISONERS.—Great efforts are being made in Lyons to relieve the necessities of the French prisoners in Germany. The Mining Company of Blanzy, its employds and workmen, have sent to the Treasury of the Rhone the sum of 3,271 f. as their subscription for this purpose. The greater part of this money came from an allowance made by the company annually W its men for the fête of St. Barbe, but which this year they all ay.( ed to give for the prisoners, The ladies' committee have started a lottery of bijoux for the benefit of the army, and their appeal has met with a very general response. A number of valuable articles were sent in, but, what was more touching, the gifts were not restricted to the rich. The women of the working classes readily surrendered their best articles of dress, their little family souvenirs, and househpld ornaments. On the same table on which a very handsome marriage parure was exhibited, a poor woman, who got her living by making soldiers' caps placed her brooch as a contribution. AN INCIDENT AT ORLEANS:—A few days ago 1 entered a shop to buy some stationery, and virs kept waiting for a time because the place was full of customers, and the only person able to serve me—a woman—was scolding a big grey-haired German officer. He could only stammer half a dozen words of French, and she no German. She appealed to me w ith excited gesture and voluble tongue, and I had to interpret between them. ' The whole dispute was about one sou, she declaring that the Gelman money he offered was short of the full value of the articles supplied. To avoid noise and scandal, he yielded, though I verily believe he was right, and paid the one sou more. Then he asked permission to write a letter there, and it was evident that he had bought the pictured paper to send a letter hom e to his wife and children. rhe leave was accorded, and shortly after wards he stopped the woman as she passed, and held out his hand to make friends, with a few words of soothing purport. She bridled, but at last gave the sign of amity which he asked from her, and came smiling down the shop.—Times Correspondent. LITERATURE, SCIENCE, AND THE STAGE, The Athenceum says: —We understand that Mr. Alfred Austin, author of " The Season," will shortly bring out a new satire, entitled "The Golden Age."—We learn that a sketch of Scotland in the sixteenth century, which ap apears in the current number of Fraser's Magazine, is the first two chapters of a history of that country, fi om the Battle of Flodclen to the Revolution of 1688, by Mr. A. Falconer: the first volume of which will appear in a few months.—Mr. Macleod has resumed the publication of his " Dictionary of Political Economy," which was in terrupted by his appointment under the Digest of Law Commission. Part Bis in the press.—A brief history of Cork, by Mr. John George MacCarthy, of that city, the circulation of which is almost altogether—though unde servedly—local, has reached a third edition. A work of a more ambitious kind on the same subject, by Miss Cusack, is announced.—lt is sixty years since Sir Walter Scott made that purchase of land which was the beginning of the estate of Abbotsford. Perhaps we may be allowed to recall the fact that it was in the pages of the Ath,enceunz that it was first suggested that Abbotsford should be purchased by the nation for the benefit of his descendants. — We stated a few weeks ago that Mr. Heraud, the author of " The Ingathering," was engaged in a poem on the subject of the present war, to be called " The War of Ideas." We now understand that the poem is finished, and will shortly eppear.—The new Court Theatre, Lon don, is now rapidly approaching completion, and will shortly open for dramatic entertainments.—A new bur lesque, by Mr. Reece, is, we are told, in preparation at the Olympic. Mr. J. L. Toole will shortly appear in a new drama recently written for him by Mr. H. J. Byron. Mr. Sothern will reappear on April 10th, at the Haymarket, in a comedy by Mr. James Albery. This actor, we learn, has also purchased the comedy entitled, " The English Gentleman," from Mr. Byron. MARKETS. MARK-LANE. FAlDAY.—Quietness prevailed on the Corn Exchange at Mark lane to-day, but values were maintained, although no tendency to further improvement was perceptible. There was a short supply of English wheat on offer which sold cautiously at fu the rates current on Monday. Foreign wheat, the supply of which was large, met with a similar demand at recent values. Barley was in fair supply and request for grinding descriptions, but malting qualities were difficult to dispose of on former terms Malt was dull, but prices wet e unaltered. Oats, the supply of which was abundant, experienced a sluggish demand at Mon day's currencies. Beans and peas were purchased with less animation, but quotations ruled firm. The flour trade was depressed, nevertheless Wednesday's advance on American barrs•ls was sustained. Arrivals :—English and Scotch ; wheat, 250 ; barley, 560 ; malt, 100 ; peas, 30. Foreign : wheat, 12,230 ; oats, 15,780: maize, 6,050 ; beans, 1,430 ; flour, 20,390 barrels. METROPOLITAN MEAT. FRIDAY.-There were larger supplies of meat on sale at the market to-day. The inquiry for all descriptions was less a ctive, and prices were slightly reduced. Per 81bs. by the carcase:- Inferior beef, 3s. Bd. to 4s. 4d.: middling do., 4s. 4d. to 4s. Bd.: prime large do., 4s. Bd. to ss. ; prime small do., ss. to ss. 4d. ; inferior mutton, 3s. Bd. to 4s. 4d,; middling do., 48. 4d. to 4s. 10d.; prime do., ss. to ss. 2d. ; veal, 4s. 10d. to ss. 2d. ; large pork, 3s. to 4s. 4d. ; small pork, 4s. Bd. to 58. Od. BOROUGH HOP. FRlDAY.—Business in the hop market has been conducted on a moderate scale to-day. The supplies of produce have been tolerably good. Prime qualities have realised full prices, with a healthy inquiry, Otherwise the market has been quiet. Mid and East Kents, £1 15s. to £7 ; Weald of Kents, £1 15s. to £3 ; Susex, £lto £3 10s. ; Farnham and country, £3 155. to £6 6s. s and olds, £1 to £2 10s. per cwt. BOROUGH AND SPITALFIELDS POTATO. FRIDAY.—The supplies of potatoes are not extensive. • The trade is firm, and prices are steady. English regents, 60s. to 90s. ; Scotch regents, 60s. to 8.55. ; rocks, 60s. to 70s. per ton. LONDON WOOL. FRIDAY.—The tone of thewool market has continued healthy, but at the same time there has not been much animation in the inquiry. Choice lustre qualities still absorb the larger share of attention, and command full prices ; otherwise the transactions are limited, but at full currencies. COLONIAL AND FOREIGN PRODUCE. LONDON, FRIDAY.-Sugar : The market remains firm, and prices continued in an improved direction ; Demerara crystalised 355. to 38s. 6d. , Dulloah date Bengal, common and very low, 19s. 6d. to 20s. 9d. ; Porto Rico, 325. 6d. to 355. for middling to fine grainy yellow ; refined sugar still advancing ; common lumps 465. Tea : The market is steady, both in demand and values. Cotton is inactive, and rather lower. Tinnevelly good fair Rd. ; East India 61d. to aid. Metals : Tin firm, and tending upwards. Straits, £134105. spot. Scotch pig iron, London, 525. month ; Ms. three months. Copper also firm, Chili bar, £64 ss. to £65. Oils: Linseed is firmer, at 30s, 3d. spot, London ; and 20s. 9d. Hull. Rape quiet, at 465. ad. to 465. 9d. for English brown, spot. Tallow : Market steady. Spot, 435. 3d. to 455. 6d. ; March, 465. ; sellers, April to June, 455. 6d. ; last three months, 465. 6d. TRADE REPORTS. MANCHESTER, FRIDAY.—This market continues quiet, and without any change. Prices during the week have been marked by great steadiness, notwithstanding the very meagre demands for both yarns and goods, and the easier tone of the Liverpool cotton market, arising from the very large imports of cotton, especially of American descriptions. So little business has been transacted during the week, that prices generally have not been fairly tested. In most cases, how ever, they are steady, whilst in a few cases the tendency is towards rather easier rates. In yarns, from which India shirtings are made, there is no giving way in price, and spinners are well sold for some kind of bundle yarns. Rather lower rates have been accepted. The lower counts of two fold yarns are still in fair request, whilst the high numbers are quite neglected. Cloth of all descriptions continues steady, but in limited demand. Quotations unchanged since Tuesday. SOUTH WALES IRON, FRIDAY.—A decided lack of animation characterised our local trades to-day. From the interruption to . . ------ - business consequent on the recent severe weather, which has caused great difficulty in the transportation of the different material in the iron trade, few orders have been secured since Christmas. The work has had to be resumed chiefly on old contracts. The prospects of the new year are felt to be dependent to a great extent on the settlement of the Franco-Prussian war, but meanwhile American advices are favourable, and Russia, India, and our Australia colonies are expected to be large buyers. Satisfaction is felt at the readoption by the preliminary meeting of iron masters of the prices which have ruled during the past twelve months, but it will be difficut to mention prices long. There is little change to note in the tin-plate trade, if anything a slight improvement is observable. Work is not yet thoroughly resumed at the colleries, and the output is less than usual. No alteration worth notice has taken place in the demand. The decrease in French requirements is to some ex tent made up from other markets. House coals are in good I request. CORN MARKETS. LIVERPOOL, FRIDAY.—This market opens very quiet to-day, and sellers in some cases appear inclined to press business, at a slight reduction from Tuesday's rates for wheat. Maize 6d. cheaper and dun. Closing report.—This market to-day was fairly attended. but very little bnsiness was done in wheat, the reduction since Tuesday being nominally ld. to 2d. per cental. Flour was also depressed, while maize gave way lid. per qr., at which retail buyers supplied themselves. WAKEFIELD, FRIDAY.—The wheat trade is very quiet at this market to-day, owing to the change in the weather. Prices are in favour of buyers. Fine barley steady. LINCOLN, FRIDAY.—The wheat trade at this market to-day is slow, and all but the very best sorts ls. per quarter lower. Barley firm. All other sorts at last week's rates. LIVERPOOL COTTON MARKET, FRIDAY.—This marks opens quietly, at slightly easier rates. Sales, probably 10,000 bale,. Closing Report : The market closed dull and irreg,nlar to-day. Americans are again one-eighth per pound lower, but in the better grades of Surats there is no change to report. Sales 10,000 bales, including 1,000 bales on speculation and export. GLASGOW PIG-IRON MARKET, FRIDAY.—This market was firm to-day. There was little doing. Sellers, 51s. 7id cash, buyers offering a shade less. CORK BUTTER MARKET, FRlDAY.—Ordinary firsts, 1465. seconds, 140 s. ; thirds, 119 s. ; fourths, 105 s. ; fifths, 935. ' • sixths, 635. 300 firkins in the market. Mild cured firsts, 1525.; seconds, 1465.; thirds, 1255. Four firkins in the market. THE RO YAL ACADEMY.—The Senior Associate of the Academy, Mr. W. E. Frost, has just been created a Royal Academician. Mr. Frost ought to have been an R.A. long since. THE OFFENCE OF IMPENITENCE.—A Press de spatch from San Francisco states that a "vigilant" band, 300 strong, fully armed and organised, attacked the gaol Los Angeles on the 17th of December, and took there from Michael Lacheni, the murderer of Jacob Bell and others, and hanged him by the neck until dead, he having confessed his guilt, "but expressed no contrition for his crime." AUSTRALIA AND THE IRISH CHURCH.—The The Bishop of Sydney, Metropolitan of Australia, has forwarded to the Primate of the Irish Church a resolution from the Australian Synod, a resolution expressive of its " sympathy and cordial attachment to that Church, now disestablished, and of its admiration of the wisdom and ability which, by the blessing of God, it has been enabled to display under the very trying circumstances through which it has passed." • THE ALABAMA QUESTION.—The_ great question for us now to decide is, do we want to go to war on this question or not ? Two years ago it was pointed out in these columns, by a pen which we may be allowed to say com manded universal respect, that this was the real issue on which we ought to make up our minds. Are we inclined to settle the dispute peaceably, or are we resolved that it shall never be settled until there has been a "fight ?" A perfectly frank answer to this question would materially contribute to the settlement of the dispute. We must admit that there is at present a real danger of our drifting into war. Th e nex t S pr i ng w ill i n all probability see Great Britain plunged in a tremendous struggle with Russia. Such a war would almost inevitably draw us in, were the Alabama claims unsettled. And what greater calamity could there be to civilisation and Christian progress than such a struggle between the two leading Christian Powers? The advance of moralityand true reli gion would be indefinitely thrown back ; the ;Tread of free institutions would be checked ; pauperism and suffering would desolate the manufacturing districts of England ; English and American commerce would perish, and blood be poured out on every sea, while Canada would be tram pled and desolated as France is now. That such horrors are possible when arbitration might settle our disputes, is a fact repugnant to right feeling, and disheartening to all who have any hope that the future of the world's history will be brighter than the past. —New York Times. BREAKFAST.—EPPS'S COCOA.--GRATEFUL AND COM. FORTING.—The very agreeable character of this preparation has rendered it a general favourite. The Civil Service Gazette re: marks :—" By a thorough knowledge of the natural laws which govern the operations of digestion and nutrition, and by a careful application of the fine properties of well-selected cocoa. Mr. Epps has provided our breakfast tables with a delicately flavoured beverage which may save us many heavy doctors' bills. Each packet is labelled—JAMES EPPS do Co., Hoinceo. pathic Chemists, London. Also, makers of Epps's Cacabine, a very inn evening beverage.—Advt. THE IRISH LAND ACT. A case under the Landlord and Tenant Act of last session was heard at the Antrim Quarter Sessions, at Ballymena, before Mr. J. H. Otway, Q.C., chairman of the county. The claimant, Mr. Thomas Boyle, sued the Eight. Hon. the Earl of Antrim for £716, including £4OO which had been paid by him on coming into occupation. Several witnesses were examined as to the value of the improvements claimed for, and as to alleged dilapidation, and at the conclusion of the case, after Mr. Butt, Q.C., who was counsel for the claimant, had replied on the evi dence, the Chairman announced that he would reserve his judgment until the Belfast Sessions. There was a large attendance in the court, and the proceedings were watched with the greatest interest. BREACH OF PROMISE OF MARRIAGE: An action was heard in the Sheriff's Court, Pearce v. Halestrap, for breach of promise of marriage. Damages were laid at £l,OOO. Judgment in the Queen's Bench had been allowed to go by default, and the only question was the amount to be awarded. The plain tiff, Ellen Pearce, was the only witness. She said she was now twenty-eight. The defendant, Edgar Halestrap, was in his twenty-fourth year. In 1866 she was a milliner at Hertford, where the defendant managed, for his father, the Dimsdale Tavern. • For more than four years they were engaged. The plain tiff was now in a drapery establishment at Buckingham Palace-road, and her employer had assisted her to bring the action. Last year the defendant alleged that he had met with an accident which prevented him marrying, and it was said that he was dependent on his father. The cor respondence read was not of a sentimental character. The defendant wrote the news of the town, and never got beyond " Dear Nell," whilst the plaintiff wrote very sen sible letters ; and it was acknowledged by the counsel on both sides, as well as the Under Sheriff, that they. evinced a very superior mind. She was au orphan, and had to battle with life with two sisters in her charge. She had found that for four years she had been devoted to a man who had cast her off. Mr. Q uoin, Q.C., asked for sub stantial damages, and said the defendant and his father, who were in court, had not been called to shew what means the son possessed. Mr. Willis insisted that it was a case for small damages. The plaintiff had to prove her case, and he confidently asked the jury what loss she had sustained in not marrying such a man.—Mr. Under- Sheriff Burchell told the jury to consider all the circum stances—the loss which the plaintiff, who was a person of very superior intellect, had sustained, and also the position of the defendant, who could have been called as a witness.—The jury assessed the damages at £l5O, WARLIKE EXPERIMENTS. We Understand there is some idea of forming mitrail lense camel batteries in India. The gun is to be mounted on and fired from the camel's back, the latter kneeling down at the word " action." At present, this idea is not even in an experimental stage, but in all probability such trials will take place. This reminds us of an amusing story connected with the Ordnance Select Committee. It was at one time proposed to fire mountain guns off the backs of mules that carried them. It was urged that this would obviate the necessity of dismounting the gun from the mule's back and mounting it on its carriage ; a mountain battery could thus come into action in far less time. This proposal was warmly taken up by the com mittee, who forthwith proceeded to test its feasibility. A mule or donkey was procured, and a small gun strapped firmly to a cradle resting on the packsaddle, so that the muzzle of the weapon pointed over the don key's tail. The animal, so the story goes, was then led into the marshes at Woolwich, accompanied by the com mittee and several " big wigs " who were attracted by such a novel experiment. On arrival at the butt the gun was loaded, the donkey turned with his tail towards the earthen mound, and the usual preparations made for firing by means of a lanyard and friction tube. Here upon, however, one of the committee remarked that this mode of firing might possibly derange the aim by the jerk on pulling the lanyard. A discussion followed, and it was finally arranged to fire the gun by a piece of slow-match tied to the vent. This was accordingly done, and the match duly ignited. Hitherto the donkey had taken rather a sleepy interest in the proceedings, but somehow the fizzing of the match on his back caused him first to prick up his ears, then to lay them back, and finally to begin to turn round. The committee were thunderstruck, and skedaddled" in all directions ; the secretary threw himself flat on' his face ; there was a moment of agonising suspense, then—bang— the shot went ricochetting away in One direction, while the wretched donkey turned a complete summerset in the other.—Globe. THE ALEXANDRA PARK AND PALACE.—The Wood green committee for promoting the opening of this estab lishment on the plan proposed by Mr. Francis Fuller have awarded the prizes for the essays on this subject. The first prize has been given to Mr. R. Glover, jun., Surinam House, Stratford, Essex; and the second to Miss M. A. Morel, daughter of the Rev. M. Morel. the Vicarage, Wallingford, Berks. The successful competitors were invited to receive the premiums at a dinner given by the committee at the Great Northern Hotel, London, on Thursday evening, when the leading supporters of the undertaking were present, including the judges who assisted the committee in making the awards. CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE.—Mr. Henry Ludolf, of Leeds, has addressed a letter on some commercial topics "to the Chambers of Commerce of the United Kingdom," from which the following is an extract :—" I look upon the establishment of tribunals of commerce as one of the greatest necessities for the mercantile community. The simplification and codification of all commercial laws is of the highest importance. If Napoleon the First had done nothing else for France, the blessing conferred upon that country by his " Code Napol6on" ought to secure for him that nation's everla.st ing gratitude. A proper set of laws for bills of exchange is much required; my impression is that the laws in force on this subject in Hamburg are the best of any country. It is almost impossible of belief that the greatest commer cial nation in the world has scarcely any well-regulated laws to act upon, and that nearly aU is left to custom and precedents. Nothing is more lax and uncertain than our commercial transactions. Amongst the less important topics, I may mention an alteration and determination when goods bought and sold really change ownership. At present there is no fixity for all bargains, and the principle mostly acted upon, that the moment goods are bought the change of ownership is complete, is very unsatisfactory. In many instances when you buy go ods you do not know where the goods are stored, nor are they under your control ; nevertheless, should they be injured by fire or water, you have to bear the loss. In all countries with which I am acquainted, the law is that the weighing or measuring constitutes the time of change of ownership. When goods are bought, they must be delivered and received any time within, and not later than, fourteen days. As long as they are on one side of the scale, they are the property .of the seller ; the moment they are weighed, and have passed over the scale, they are the property of the buyer ; the same in measuring. Here you have something definite ; you have control over the goods ; you know where they are, and what to do with them. In transactions, there ought to be nothing uncertain ; once the price agreed upon, all ought to be settled z- there ought to be no dis putes about weights or measures possible. To secure this there ought to be an arrangement that every Chamber of Commerce should have certified weights and measures, attended to by sworn persons, and if any differences in weights or measures occur, the goods are taken to the Chamber, are there weighed or measured, and whichever party is in the wrong, pays the expenses. The-knowledge . of such a test existing would avoid many disputes." THE - WA 1 3 . THE SIEGE OF PARIS. THE LATE SORTIE. The Paris Journal Officiel attributes to the frost the failure of the sortie which commenced on the 21st of De cember. The intense cold compelled the evacuation of the positions gained. On the 22nd the work in the trenches was continued day and night, in order that the positions might be maintained, and on the 23rd the threatened attack of the enemy, who had concentrated considerable forces, caused the men a fatiguing day, while the cold continued to increase. " From this moment," proceeds the Journal Offlciel, " their health must be regarded as seriously affected. Cases of frostbite, which the ' activity of the labours in the trenches could not prevent, multiplied in a dangerous proportion. These labours, too, were retarded by the hardness of the ground and from the 24th they become impossible. The enemy, assuredly, in his position was subject to the same severity, but his soldiers are men of the North, while ours, natives of countries whose climate is temperate or hot, feel it more keenly, and their health in a mid-winter campaign requires particular attention. Under these circumstances, painful as might be the temporary suspension of operations, the duty of continuing them was overriden by that of giving to the troops a rest and attention which had become in dispensable." FRENCH ACCOUNT OF THE BOMBARDMENT. A lively representation of the effect produced by the German batteries an Fort Rosny is given in the Corres pondance Havas, of Paris. Speaking of the. fire on the 30th, it says :—" Within five hours 155 shells fell into a single barrack. Casemates believed to be bombproof were penetrated ; and between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. nearly 2,000 projectiles fell into the enceinte, on the scarp, and the counterscarp. This unheardof fire, more sus tained and more terrible than that of Sebastopol, happily caused but little loss of life. Three or four marines were wounded, while an unfortunate ball put hors de combat six persons quartered in the same case mate belonging to the volunteer artillerymen of the Na tional Guard. In so severe a bombardment there is a feeling of helplessness which affects even the bravest. Not even the most experienced soldiers can say that they have undergone a fire such as that experienced by Forts Rosny, Noisy, and Avron, for it is warfare with a new kind of projectile. We are really impressed by the spectacle pre sented after three days of this frightful fire by the marines in our forts—firm, resolute, vigilant, ready for every sac rifice." FROM THE GERMAN LINES. The Germans are puzzled by their remarkable success. The Forts of Nogent and Rosny are both silent— their embrasures blinded. No such result seems to have been expected at Versailles. Dr. Russell writes :—" The whole intelligence of the Military Cabinet is baffled. What can it mean ? Some think it is a plain admission the French will not face the shells. They have had all the fun to themselves for a long while, and now that a few German batteries are taking their share in the game they refuse to join, or to play any longer. Others give the French more credit, and seek to discover some very deep game. Even Count Moltke and General Blumenthal are puzzled. Perhaps there is a design to blow up the Prussians and Saxons if they tried to occupy the works, by springing mines? No one knows ; and the risk of an effort 'to find out ' will be very con siderable. To abandon the positions of Montreuil seems to be equivalent to the surrender of Paris on the north-east and eastern side to a most formidable attack, in which the works on the north would be taken partially in reverse. The probability is that the engineers at the other side of Paris know more about the matter by this time. The accounts Which are filtered through the avant-postes of the state of the capital are exhilarating to the besiegers, and the recent successes of the German batteries are auguries of future--not very far distant — triumphs." COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE CAPITAL AND THE PROVINCES. A person who knows Paris well, has written to the Co'ogne Gazette to say that the Parisian Government must possess some means for sending despatches, and receiving them ; and this may be effected through the secret agencies by which the Delegation Government.offered to send letters to Paris. During the last few years success ful experiments have been made with sub-marine vessels containing many persons, who, thanks to a reserve of compressed air, are able to remain for several hours, and direct the boats with the greatest facility. A chain is placed on the bed of the Seine, which stretches from Paris to Havres, and the tow-boats make use of it to strengthen their power of pulling. It is possible that along this length of chain some contrivance has been arranged for the transmission of letters. Besides this, divers clothed in the new apparatus, can easily move about in the bed of the river, as was exemplified at the Exhibition of 1867, and they can readily forward dispatches. THE PARIS JOURNALS. The Patrie, one of the papers still published tn Paris, has been suspended for three days for having stated that trenches were being made in the direction of one of the points to be attacked. The suspen sion was ordered in execution of the decree which prohibited any remarks whatever on mili tary measures, but it is believed in Paris that its real object was to punish some articles by M. Weiss, the new editor, which favoured the Prussian leaders, and pushed the desire for peace to absolute pessimism. The measure is generally blamed by the rest of the Paris papers, which esteemed themselves fully capable of replying to the de sponding tone of the Patrie's articles, and which at tached very little importance to the military statement complained of. During the three days of its suspension the subscribers of the Patrie were supplied by the France. M. Picard is said to regard Gambetta's financial measures at Tours with small satisfaction, but the value of the young Minister's public services in the provinces is be coming recognised in Paris. There was a talk of joining Louis Blanc and Victor Hugo to the Government to sup ply its lack of energy, but it has never been put into action, for those gentlemen, even had they been asked, would not have consented to join. NOTES FROM LILLE. LILLE, January 3rd. The agitation in the town has been great since the morning of yesterday. The battle was going on between Arms and Bapaume, and the official bulletins were looked for with all the more eagerness that the mobilised troops of the district were to take an active part in the combat, and there was no one in the town who had not a relative or friends amongst them. When the travellers from Arras got out of the train, they were surrounded by anxious throngs, but their information was of course most confusing. This morning a violent cannonade was heard to the south- east of Arras, and from Busigny came also the sound of battle. The French have reoccupied the station and the town of Busigny, after a severe struggle. The prisoners captured belong to the Royal Guard of Saxony, which proves that there was some truth in the rumour of the arrival at Amiens of a Saxon corps detached from Paris. The r igorous offensive of the Army of the North has had the effect of clearing the place of Uhlans. A Frenchman rode over the greater part of the country which they ravaged without seeing the shadow of lance. The cold is still of an extraordinary intensity, thoug without snow. It is said that the extreme rigour of frost has had a fatal effect on the steel artillery of the Germans, several cannons having burst at the first fire. A copy of Faidherbe's order of the day prior to the move ment says :—" To-morrow we shall find ourselves in presence of the enemy, who occupies the districts of Adinfer, Hamescamps, Ayettes, Boiry, &c. The villages in this part have been stripped of everything. Our troops must, therefore, have with them three days' rations, which will be served out this afternoon. The men must be warned by their officers that they will be three days without having anything to eat but what they carry with them. The convoys can advance as far as Riviere, and the railway trains to Boileux.— Headquarters, Baurains, Jan. 1, 1871. FAIDHERBE." THE SINKING OF BRITISH SHIPS. detained. A correspondent of the Manchester Guardian at Bor deaux gives a somewhat strange account of the correspon dence between ➢lr. Odo Russell and Count Bismarck, respecting the sinking of British ships in the Seine. In reply to the former's complaint, the German Chancellor suggested (so says the correspondent) that Mr. Russell was meddling with a matter foreign to his business at Versailles. He does not admit that the law of nations or that of neutrality has been violated. " The fact," he says, " of armies in campaign sinking merchant ships carrying neutral colours, and destined to blockade an enemy's river, has not been dealt with by the lawyers, and consequently lies beyond the rules traced by the law of nations." He then says that he is ready to enter upon a discussion, fixing the bases of a proportionate indemnity, or to go as far in the way of explanations as diplomatic usage permits. The Berlin papers of yesterday morning, in discussing , ~....., the sinking of the English colliers in the Seine, at Duclair, acknowledge the moderate tone assumed by the English press upon the subject. The fortress of Rocroy has surrendered, and it is occu• pied by two companies. M. Gambetta left Bordeaux on Friday for the head quarters of General Chanzy. The French officers in Germany have been informed that the Independance Beige will no longer be permitted to circulate in the prisons where the war prisoners are Great amusement was created in Paris the other day by a representation in the Charivari of a cook tossing in a frying-pan a cat and a rat. Beneath the drawing was the characteristic inscription : " Enforsed rapprochement of two belligerents." The announcement that an army has set out from Lyons comes from various quarters, but it is difficult to ascertain its strength. Estimates vary between 30,000 and 100,000 men. The lower dumber is the more probable. Dr. Russell expresses the conviction that after the sorties of the 20th and 21st the French Generals cannot force any sufficient number of their soldiers to advance under fire. "If this impression be well founded, all is nearly over with Paris." The Carlsruhe Gazette explains the evacuation of Dijon and the further retreat of General Werder's Baden con tingent as a concentration of the force, with a view to be prepared for the attack of the Army 'of Lyons and the Garibaldians. There is much distress in Belleville, the democratic quarter of Paris. Several battalions of National Guards were disbanded for cowardice in the field. A large body of men was suddenly deprived of thirty sous per diem, which Belleville thinks worth living for, but not dying for. A bazaar for the benefit of the poor has been opened at the Paris Ministry of Public Instruction by ladies of the first position. A turkey was sold for 2001 r. Roche fort distinguished himself by his liberality. Boxes of cigars were sold for 100 fr., a potato for 10fr., and a sheep for 500 fr. Near Bourget, the other day, was found the body of a peasant dried up by the cold till it presented the appear ance of a mummy. He had been dead two months, and was shot down while cutting a cabbage, the knife he had been using was still in his hand and his bag was beside him. The following is the latest news from the East of France on the authority of the correspondent of the Standard : You may consider it a bold assertion to make, but it is nevertheless a fact—viz., that the French are at this moment marching on Germany, and that, notwithstanding defeats, they will in a short time reach their destination ! Navigation on the river Garonne is at present entirely suspended by thick snow-clad icebergs, such as are very rarely seen in that latitude. An adventurous man might almost go on foot across the rapid tidal river by jumping from one glacon to another. The "oldest inhabitant" remembers the t in 1830 the Garonne was completely .rozen over, and that the frost then lasted six weeks. The Paris papers, amongst others, the moderate Patric and Temps, are beginning to attack General Trochu. They call for action, and for sorties at any cost. Others go yet further, saying that it is the duty of the Govern ment and of the members of the Defence to entrust this defence to such general as the safety of the country requires. General Vinoy is especially named. The German Prdect at Versailles has behaved with great harshness towards the Mayor and Municipality of Versailles. M. Rameau is in a cell in the common prison there, and has been ill nearly to death. Three of the Town Council have been arrested and are in prison also for the same offence. That offence is said to be their refusal to pay a fine imposed on them for not opening a store of groceries there on a certain day. The Frankfort Gazette pays remarkable tribute to the good qualities of the Loire army :—" Although the Ger mans have been constantly victorious, or that, at least, they always kept their ground, their losses have been enormous. Had we had seven days more such as those we passed with Aurelles de Paladine, our army would have been lost. We must do justice to the talent of that general, and to the strength of resistance of the French nation. No one would have thought that, after the four bloody days which preceded the capture of Orleans, the French wanted but two days to bring forward new forces to fight a three-days' battle, the result of which was more than doubtful." An account from Lille states that General Faidherbe's recent victory was due to a stratagem. Before the fighting took place, he dressed his Mobiles as Marines and vice versa. This ruse was completely successful, for the Prussians attacked in the first instance those soldiers whom they believed would be the easiest to overcome, and hoped by routing them to spread dismay among the ranks of the French army. Great was their disap pointment, however, when they met with such serious resistance, that their own ranks were forced to give way. In the midst of the late firing nine people sat down to breakfast in a small house upon the plateau of Avron. There were the commander of the sixth battalion of Mobiles of the Seine (M. Heintzler), his wife, the adjutant of the battalion, a captain, two lieutenants, an ensign, a chaplain, and a doctor —nearly all of the same battalion. A Prussian shell came smashing upon the table, and killed six of the party. The commandant and his wife were wounded. The only one who escaped unhurt was the doctor. A Prussian officer who was taken prisoner by the ArmY of Paris reports a conversation he held with General Trochu. This commander said he was anxious for the beginning of the bombardment, as the German guns could only bombard the quarters chiefly inabited by the mob, who were the greatest incumbrance to him in his undertakings. He should be glad in that way to lose a couple of hundred thousand of these canaille. He also stated that he was accurately acquainted with the hostile positions at all points, and was convinced that he could silence the German guns by the French batteries. • A letter from Lorraine, in the Cologne Gazette, mentions the constant passage through the province of Prussian , Bavarian, and Saxon reinforcements. They are partly ersatz men, and are chiefly young and vigorous men, wh o only entered the service three months ago, many, more over, being volunteers. Some of them are older landwebt men, who, in many cases, are considerably over 30 year o of age, and are destined to garrison the towns and etapPe n ' lines, while the former will fill up the losses in the a ctive regiments. Between the middle of December and the middle of January 150,000 fresh German troops will hav e entered French territory. The correspondent of the ManchesterlExaminer believee that Trochu will call on the people to stand any amou o of suffering, and not to give in till at death's door. " 19 has waited for an opportune moment in public opinion. The Journal o.eiciel published a day or two ago a transW tion from a German paper, found on a prisoner, of an account of the battle of Orleans. The account owns tha t i they were in danger of losing the day. T h ey are sur p rise' at the good generalship displayed and at the valour of th e troops, and say they gained a victory only with tre" mendous losses. This, of course, had a good effect uPe ° public spirit ; but the people were alr ead y roused t° 0' pitch of exasperation. I think they will make up thei r minds to any sacrifice, so as to wait till Gambetta gets strong enough army to vanquish Frederick Charles. O le misery is already getting to be extreme." a [ADvEßTismENT.l—Holloway's Ointment and Pills.l 4 Cough, Emaciation.--Thesesymptoms, slight, but stendl,/," advancing, make a depraved condit ion of the body, whic will run its rapid course to consumption , unless some 5; sistant remedy be at once applied. All congestion a t,„ lungs and engorgement of the air tubes are removed ,'1„ Holloway's Ointment upon the back and front of t""a chest ; and all impurities are extracted from the Wo, by his purifying pills, which establish a good digest,i°re strengthen the system, and avert both present and fli,V-to danger. These potent remedies require no foreign 3'1.0 change the consumptive tendency, and to rernove.,, o t obstructions springing from impure blood, delie l ` nervous power, or other constitutional or local defects- wife of BIRTHS. On the sth inst., at Allenby House, Kilburn, the John Rippon Heron, Esq., of a daughter. On the 4th inst., at Old Charlton, Kent, the wife of t del Smith, Esq., of a son. MARRIAGES. T eo , On the 3d inst. at Trinity Church, Bromley-co ill—AV Captain James Francis Morton, 55th Regt., of ...p ht et green, Worcester, to Eleanor Maria, y oung est datto' of the late J. J. Wells, Esq., of Southborough, ' ley, Kent. On the 3d inst. at Holy Trinity, Clapham-commo n, o Ve Swainson, of 3, Grafton - square , Cla p ham, to etriso Louisa, eldest daughter of John Graham, BF* , Clapham. DEATHS. 3 011° On the 4th inst., at 6, Downs park - road, Clapton, Chles Baran, Esq., aged 56. On th ar e 4th inst. ndo , at 10, Eedeston-sq uare , Chas. TO' v Esq., aged 68. London : Printed by GIDEON ACLAND BOY No. 112, Strand, Printer, and Published by o f tha THE SUN Office, No. 112, Strand, in the Precinct Savoy, in the County of Middlesex, Saturday, January 7, x571.