The Sun. — London, England, 1857-05-04 00:00:00

Naval and Military intelligence. The Ral3igh, 50, sailing frigate, Commodore the Hon. H. Keppell, C. 8., on her way from England to the East India staton, was all well on the ith of March, a letter from her of which date says, "We have not yet reached a port in India, but hope to do so to-morrow." Her Majesty's new steam troopship Urgent, Commander Phillips, arrived at Barbadoes, 27th of March, after a good passage from Spithead. The officers speak highly in their letters of the accom modation and attention they received. The heat at the date of our advices was very great during the day (thermometer 83). After landing the 49th regi ment at Barbadoes the Urgent left that island for England (bound for Spithead) on the Bth of April; she may therefore be hourly expected. The Sphynx, 6, paddlewheel sloop, Captain A. P. E. Wilmot, was paid off at Portsmouth on Sa turday. She landed the gun, the Sultan's present to Queen Victoria, before mentioned, at the Gun wharf, Portsmouth, on Friday, where we be lieve it will remain for her Majesty's inspec tion in passing frore Gosport to Osborne on the 7th inst. The gun is of cast brass, and reported to be about 200 years old ; it is 13 feet 5 inches in length, and fires a shot of between 18 and 24 pounds. It bears the following inscription in Turkish :—" A present from his Imperial Majesty Sultan Abdul Medjid to her Britannic Majesty Queen Victoria, 1857." The gun is of beautiful mould, and is covered with designs and emblems of great artistic execution, and with ornamental em bossing, chiefly of Oriental flowers. There are other inscriptions upon the piece in the Arabic language. The carriage is of walnut, with wheels of oak, all elaborately carved. An Admiralty order was sent down to Portsmouth on Thursday for the gun to be landed at ►he Royal Clarence-yard, and there mounted, to remain for the inspection of her Majesty on the Royal visit to Osborne on the 7th ; but it was found difficult to land the gun as or dered, owing to the want of the necessary ap pliances, and it was therefore landed at, the gun wharf. Her Majesty's screw two-decker Majestic, 81, Capt. J. Hope, which arrived at Spithead. on Fri day from the Mediterranean, with about 50 military invalids, left for Sheerness (where she was commis sioned on Feb. 10, 1854) to be paid off. The sailing corvette Amphitrite, 25, Capt. Tat ham, has bent sails in Portsmouth Harbour, and had her compasses adjusted. She goes to Spithead this day, and thence to her cruising station as a coast guard ship on the Sussex coast. The Melville, 72, hospital-ship, fitting for China, is blocked down at Portsmouth, in readiness for painting, and will be out of hands in a week. The screw store-ship industry, 2, Com. G. J. Hodges, with stores from Chatham, arrived at Plymouth on Friday. The Boscawen, 70, Capt. Powell, was warped to the jetty and docked at Devouport on Saturday. In pursuance of the recent regulations issued at Woolwich commanding all officers of the Royal Ar tillery garrison to make application for barrack quarters, it has been found necessary to add con siderably to the accommodations hitherto allotted for that purpose. The line of buildings known as Mill-lane, fronting the Artillery Barracks, pertain ing to the Engineering Department, is now being demolished, and a spacious barrack residence is to be erected on the site. The inconvenience suflered by the want of accommodation for Divine service within the garrison is likewise about to be reme died, as the ground will also afford an eligible spot on which it is intended to raise an appropriate church for the use of the troops. The committee, headed by Major-General Sir W. F. Williams, Commandant of Woolwich Gar rison, constituted to receive contributions in behalf of the distressed labourers discharged from the Dockyard, have commenced fitting up the Royal Artillery riding-house for the purpose of giving a vocal and instrumental concert in furtherance of their desire to collect a fund to assist the unem ployed who are desirous of emigrating to Can'ada, The services of Madame Anna Thillon, Miss Birch, Miss Poole, Mr. Wyllie Cooper, Mr. Frank Bodda, and other artistes have been engaged for the occa sion, which is fixed for Wednesday next. The Admiralty yacht Banshee, lying at her moor ings off Woolwich dockyard, was on Saturday run • foul of by a brig sailing down the river. The brig suffered considerable damage, and the Banshee had her jibboom carried away, and underwent various injuries of minor importance. The Winchester, 50 guns, sailing frigate, Capt. T. Wilson, was inspected at the Little Nore on Sa turday, by Capt. Wise, of the Vesuvius. The crew were put through various evolutions, after which she was towed to Chatham to he paid off. The Win chester sailed from Hong Kong on the 13th Dec. last, arrived at Singapore on the 23d, sailed from Singapore on the 27th, arrived at Angier Point, Java, on the 31st ; sailed from Angier Point Jan. the Ist, and arrived at Simon's Bay February the 11th. She remained at anchor until the 26th of Feb:, when she sailed for St. Helena, left the Penelope, 16, paddlewheel steam frigate, there. The Penelope had lost two officers—viz., Mr. Han ning, master's assistant, and Mr. C. F. Hockings, clerk—and 26 of her crew, most of whom died from dysentry and debility. The Winchester arrived at St. Helena on March 8, sailed from St. Helena on the 10th, arrived at Spithead on April 27, sailed from Spithead on the 29th, and arrived at Sheer ness on May 1. The Russian frigate Aurora sailed from Hong Kong three days before the Winchester, met her again at Singapore, and also St. Helena. She left all her guns, shot, ammunition, &c., at the Amour River settlement. The Russians are fortifying Imperial Harbour with the view of establishing a grand naval arsenal there, with marine factories, &c. Imperial Harbour is about 130 miles south of Castries Bay. The harbour is commonly called Pallas Harbour ; it is situated in lat. 48.58 N., long. 140.17 E. The remains of the Pallas ' which the Russians destroyed and sunk to pre vent her being captured by the English squadron on their cruising off that station, are still in the nortth-west bight of the harbour, near which are two heavy batteries which were erected by the Russians during the late war. The Winchester has brought home the crew of the Bittern, 12-gun sloop, and the following officers, late of that vessel: —Mr. C. G. Johnson, master ; Lieut. F. Robin son, Lieut. W. Walsh ' • Mr. C. G. Burney, pay master - ' and Mr. G. B. Newton, assistant-surgeon —in all 59 of the old hand s ho left England in her. The Bittern is left as a tender to the Cal cutta, flagship, and is officered and manned from that ship with a crew of 56 officers and men. The Hesper, screw steam storeship of 120 horse power, Master-Commander J. S. Hill, laden with stores, gun, shot, shell, ammunition, &c., arrived at Sheerness from Woolwich ou Saturday. She proceeds to Hong Kong, and carries a number of supernumeraries out for the squadron of gunboats destined for the China Seas. The Creasy, 80 guns, screw steamship, of 400 horse-power, arrived at the Great Nore on Satur day, and anchored about two miles below the Nore Light-vessel. She will be inspected at the Nore this day by Captain Charles Wise, of the Vesuvius —immediately after which she will go into harbour to be dismantled, paid off, and placed in the 2d division of the steam squadron of reserve at this port. - The commander of the coast-guard cutter Scout and her crew, by part of whom the mariner Hock ings was saved from the Curlew when she was run down by the steam-vessel Baron Osy, are ordered to appear before the Privy Council on the Bth inst.. to give their evidence at an i nqu i r y then to bem stituted as to the sinking of the Curlew by running her down and drowning seven persons, the Curlew being at the time riding in on the Mouse Sand, out of the fairway and ioadstead of the entrances to the Medway and Thames. Mr. Jackson suc ceeded yesterday's high-water in getting the lighter by which the Curlew was weighed in upon the beach, at Cockleshell-hard, on the Isle of Grain side of the river Medway. The Dee, 4 gnu paddle-wheel steam troop-ship, Master-Commander Thomas C. Pullen, made her number on demand from the flagship Waterloo at Sheerness, yesterday, at 12.30 p.m. She is from Devonport and Portsmouth with supernumeraries for the Cumberland and Vesuvius. On Saturday morni ng a d etachment of six non commissioned officers b e l ong i ng to the depots of the Indian regiments at Ch a th am proceeded from the provisional Battalion to the School of Mus ketry at Hythe, for the purpo se o f acquiring a per fect system of rifle instructions under Colonel C. C. Hay, previously to embarking fo r I n di a, where they will act as instructors in musketry to their re spective corps. Commander E. K. Barnard and C omman d er Thomas Cochran were on Saturday promoted to the rank of captains ; Lieut. J Jam es R. Veitch, Lieut. Henry Harvey, and Lieut. J. H. Howard were at the same time promoted to the rank of commanders. The following appointments were made on Satur day at the Admiralty : Lieut. E. F. Holmes, to the Leopard;gl. Fawkes and E. G. Kirkby, mates to the Princess Charlotte; the Hon. K. H. Legge, mate, to the Vesuvius ; H. C. Wogan, mat e , t o th e Co r d el ia; th e H on . G. Fitz clarence, mate, to the Leopard ; T. A. De Wahl, C. F. Walker, and 0. B. Reid, mate, to the Boscawen; J. S. Trotter, C. J. Geneste, G. Hesketh, and G. F. Lyon, midshipmen, to the Princess Charlotte ; H. Hilton, midshipman, to the Vesuvius; G. King, midshipman, to the Centurion ; E. H. R. Everard, H A. Wilmot, and the Hon. M. R. Wingfield, midshipman, to the Leopard; W. H. Maxweil, J. W. Dennistoun, R. B. Lambert, C. S. W. F. J. Pitt, J. R. T. Fullerton, and 11. Bayfield, • midshipmen, to the Boscawen ; C. W. Allen, F. R. I Boardman, G. C. E. Lockhart, R. Smirke, and H. Bridger, naval cadets, to the Leopard ; H. T. Skef fington, A. Master, R. Galloway, and G. 0. Moore, naval cadets. to the Princess Charlotte ; E. Day, R. H. Haniond, C. E. Domville, the Hon. A. S. Daw son, and C. J. Doxat, naval cadets, to the Bosca wen. RAIL WAY INTELLIGEIVCE. NORTHERN OF FRANCE. The general meeting of this company was held on Thursday, at Paris, Baron James Rothschild in the chair. The meeting being declared duly constituted, M. DELBECQUE, one of the directors, read the re• port, which explained the circumstances connected with the loss of the 'securities in shares and bonds that had been stolen in September last. The of fending parties bad taken refuge in America, whence, without any doubt, they would before long be conveyed to France on an application of extra dition from the Emperor. The office for the deposit of shares had been established in 1849 with every., possible precaution, not less than three keys being affixed to the room, one being held by the person intrusted with the care of the securities, and the two others by two of the directors. The precautions taken for the safe keeping of the deposits had never been departed from. (" Oh, oh !" and loud mur murs.) Such was certainly the case, as would ap pear hereafter, when all the circumstances of the case were made known, but in order not to inter fere with the course of justice it was thought advi sable not to say more at present. (Renewed mur murs.) The two principal delinquents had been for many years in the service of the company, and had always been remarkable for their assiduity and in telligence. (Laughter.) When the head cashier died in 1846 these two young men were promoted without any solicitation, simply on account of their good conduct—one on May 28, 1846, and the other on May 23. But on the Ist of September follow ing it was ascertained that both had disappeared. An immediate examination was instituted, .and it was found that all their accounts and money were in perfect order. A few days after, however, a cer tain number of shares were missed, and after a mi nute investigation a loss was discovered of not less 5,752 shares and 1,000 bonds. It so happened, however, that the greatest portion of the loss fell on securities belonging to the house of MM. de Roths child. That firm had determined to support the loss of these securities. The meeting would, without doubt, appreciate fully, as the Board of Directors did the high sentiment of dignity and equity which had actuated MM. de Rothschild in so doing. (Cheers.) The loss which that firm would have to support was not less than 5,071 shares and 270 bonds, or Ave-sixths of the whole securities miss ing. (Renewed cheering.) As to the small por tion of the loss falling on the shareholders, the Board recommended them to distribute the loss over a certain number of years, so as to render it less onerous •, to that end the Board would propose to set aside 100,000 f. for the next year as a special reserve to meet the case. (Hear, hear.) With re spect to continuing the deposit of shares at the offices of the company the shareholders must decide for themselves. The works which were in course of execution were being urged on with activity. As to the new lines, from Paris to Soissons, Bou logne to Calais, Rouen to St. Q uen ti n , a line to the collieries of the Pas de Calai s , and Chantilly to Senlis they were 432 kilometres (270 miles) in length, and would involve an . expense of 110,000,000 f. (4,400,0001.), for which new shares, say 125,000 in number, would be issued, the pre sent shareholders having the preference. As to the traffic, the receipts could not be expected to equal in 1856 those of 1854, which was an excep tional year on account of the Universal Exhibition. The receipts for 1856 were 47,337,970 f. (1, 893, 5191.), and the expenses 18,965,402 f. (758,6161.), leaving a profit of 28,372,402 f. (1,134,903/.), which sum, after providing for the sinking fund, the interest on loans, reserve fund, old and new, &c., would leave a total dividend on the year of 56f., of which sum 16f. had been already distributed, the 40f. re maining one would be paid at the office of the company on and after the Ist of July next. The accounts were then approved, and the divi dend fixed as proposed. On the question being wit from the chair for setting aside a special sum of 100,000 f. for a special reserve to meet a certain portion of the loss falling on the shareholders from the robbery. A SHAREIOLDER said that he had no doubt that every person present would second his proposition for a vote of thanks to M. de Rothschild for his most liberal conduct in taking on himself so exceed ingly heavy a loss as that caused by the dishonesty of two officials. He begged leave to propose such a vote, leaving it to the whole meeting to second it. (Cries of " All, all t" and loud cheers.) • The vote was then put by the shareholders them selves and carried by acclamation. Baron J. DE ROTHSCHILD, in returning thanks, said that he had been greatly affected by the loss alluded to, not on his own account, but on that of the shareholders ; and rather than permit any one interested to suffer inconvenience and feel uneasi ness he had preferred taking the loss on himself. (Loud cheers.) At the sam;time, be must remind the meeting that if the shareholders decided on leav ing their shares in deposit they would do 80 at their own risk. The board of directors would be de lighted to be relieved of the responsibility of guard ing them. (Hear, hear.) The meeting then voted the 100,000 f., and de cided almost unanimously on still leaving their shares in the care of the company as before. Full powers were then voted to the board to con clude arrangements for new concessions, and to adopt such financial measures as might be deemed necessary. M. Delbecque, the Duke de Galliera, M. Adam, and Baron Alphonse de Rothschild were re-elected directors ; and M. Vernes was appointed in the place of Mr. Moss, of Liverpool. The proceedings then terminated. SOUTH WALES. A huge pontoon, to be employed as a floating pier at the terminus of the line at Neyland, Milford Haven, was launched on Friday and floated to its position. It was commenced in September, and consumed in building upwards of 300 tons of iron, 600 tons of timber, 5 tons of rivets, and 5 3 / 4 tons of bolts, so that the materials weigh upwards of 900 tons. The floating pier is 154 feet in length, 441 feet in width, and 161 feet in dept. Mr. Brunel attended the launch, assisted by several engineers. It is expected that the present arrangements will afford sufficient accommodation to all the steamers which now come to the harbour, including the Pacfic. BRISTOL AND EXETER. Mr. J. B. Badham has resigned the office of se cretary to this line, which he has filled with much ability since the formation of the company. Ill health is the reason of Mr. B.'s retirement. Mr. W. Harwood, acountant of the company, will, it is understood, be appointed secretary in the room of Mr. Badham. INVERNESS AND ABERDEEN JUNCTION. The half-yearly meeting was held at Inverness on Wednesday. The directors reported that all their works from Keith to Nairn were in progress. The land ar rangements had all been completed, and although calls had been more rapidly made than had been at one time anticipated, the works would be the sooner finished and earlier returns be obtained in conse quence. From the present state of the works it was quite expected that the line from Keith to Malban on the south end, and from Dalvey to Nairn on the north end, would be opened in the autumn. Mr. GENTLE, of Dell, suggested that an amalga mation of interests should take place among the northern companies, and it was answered that, as respects the Inverness and Nairn, and the Inver ness and Aberdeen Junction, arrangements were in progress with a view to their being united, but at present no further union was contemplated. The report was adopted, and the Marquis of Staftbrd, Mr. W. J. Taylor, Mr. A. Matheson, M.P., and the Hon. C. Bruce were re-elected di rectors. It was stated tnat about eight hundred men are at work on the line. THE BANK OF LONDON AND THE JOINT STOCK COMPANIES JOURNAL. At the Mansion House on Saturday Mr. Wm. Cockburn (who a few days previously appeared in answer to a summons which charged him with havin g knowingly, willingly, and maliciously pub lisheda libel c oncerning the Bank of London), and. Mr. John Lawson attended upon a summons charg ing them with having unlawfully conspired, com bined, and agreed together to injure the Bank of London in their reputation and character of bankers. Mr. Bodkin, instructed by Messrs. Tyrell, Paine, and Co., again appeared in support of the prose cution. Mr. Wontner attended for Mr. Cockburn, and Mr. Metcalfe for Mr. Lawson. Mr. Bodkin said—My Lord Mayor, the ad journment which took place when we were last before your lordship, has procured the attend mice of the other defendant, Mr. Lawson, who is now before you, and, leaving that indivi dual charge against Mr. Cockburn with respect to which the lad Simms was taken into custody, for the publication of that particular libel, as it at pre sent stand= it is for me now to give you a s hort outline of the circumstances, which I am in a con dition to prove, as supportine this very serious charge against both defendants. Mr. Cockburn, when he was last before your lordship, said that this was not so much an individual question as a question of the freedom of the press. You may remember that that was an observation that excited the unrestrained risibility of even the spectators around him. Freedom of thepress can have no con nexion whatever with a system of this kind ; and those who are engaged in conducting or promoting the respectable portion of the press of this country would, I am sure, be first to de nounce an d con d emn and, if they could, to assist in punishing, those who engage in proceedings such as I am in a condition to prove against the defendants. Whatever exteut the commentaries of the press of this kingdom may be permitted, no man can doubt that to use the press for the purpose either of gratifying private malignity or of extorting money from others is a system that cannot for a mementbe tolerated in any civilised country. Your lordship is aware what has led to this charge ; it was the ap prehension of the lad who was examined beforeyou when we wore here last, but I am now in a condi tion distinctly to show that from the period when, as you are aware, a person of the name of Pringle was taken into custody and committed from this place to the Central Criminal Court for trial, for en deavouring by letter to extort money from the Bank of London, he at that time representing himself to have been acting on behalf ot the defendant, Me. Lawson—from that period this system of annoy ance has continued to the present time. Of course that attempt of Pringleto extort money from them entirely failed, and the directors of the bank would indeed be open to the suggestion that they were not persons who were fit to be entrusted with the management of a great commercial concern if they would from any private motives of their own, or from a desire to escape any portion of the consequences of the malignity of others, permit themselves for a moment to be de terred from the performance of their duty by at tempts such as those that I attribute to the two de fendants before you. Now on that occasion your lordship is aware that the man Pringle, who very much as it seems to me stood in a situation if not identical at least analogous to that which the de fendants now occupy, namely, that he was an in strument in the hands of Mr. Lawson, although it is impossible to say he was an innocent instrument, yet upon that occasion he was, from considerations which I need not now go into, treated with a leniency which I will not say was misplaced as it re garded him. Your lordship is aware that upon a public recantation of what he had uttered, and pro mises not to repeat the offence, be was permitted to go at large without the stain upon his character which would have resulted from a conviction of the offence with which he was then charged. I have no evidence in my power at present to show that Pringle has since that period mire I himself up with any similar proceeding, and I hope that the leniency which was then shown him has had a good effect upon his conduct. But from that period Mr. Lawson, who was, there cannot be a doubt, the person who put Pringle in motion, has sought by every means in his power to assail and injure the character and reputation of the Bank of London, whether for the purpose of gratifying his malignity, in consequence of his failing to establish his claim, or pretended claim, that he said be had upon the directors, or for the purpose of inducing them to purchase peace by the sacrifice of a portion of the funds of the shareholders of the bank, I do not know. It is sufficient for me to show that he has been the means of carrying on this system of an noyance through the publication in question—the Joint Stock Companies Journal—in which from the time when Pringle was permitted togo, article after article has appeared, calculated beyond all doubt to lower the opinion of the public with respect to the credit and stability of this bank. Now I am in a condition to show you that Mr. Lawson employed a printer for the printing of this newspaper. I shall call a gentleman before you who was so employed by him. Mr. Lawson is supposed to be (and I be lieve with good reason) the author, the writer, if not of all, at least of several of the articles in ques tion ; and although some pains have been taken by the defendants to get back from the printer the manuscripts which have been sent there, and the proofs which have been corrected by Mr. Lawson, yet still some have been left behind, and I am in a condition to put them before you and to prove be yond all doubt that his handwriting was used in the correction of these proofs. I shall also prove that he ordered the printing, and that he held him self to be, as I believe he is, the propriet and con ductor f this journal. Now, that being so, he seems to have called in to his aid the other defend ant who stands by his side, Mr. Cockburn, and then, by means altogether unheard of with respect to any publication claiming the character of or ap proach to respectability, they have resorted to th e expedient of getting this journal hawked about by these wretched boys ; and in order that the annoy ance might be as complete as possible the boys have been sent through the public streets with these placards hung round their necks, and have been ordered to leave these libels in the various banking houses in the neighbourhood of the Bank of Lon don. In fact the defendants have conducted them selves in every possible way with a view to ruin the reputation and character of the bank against which their efforts have been levelled. That is the nature of the case that I am now in a condition to prove against both of these persons, and the charge is that of having wickedly conspired to injure those gentle men who are carrying on this very great commercial concern in the City, by the publication of defama tory matters such as those of which I have eiven you a specimen, and some more of which it will be my dtry hereafter to read. Now something has been said about the right of public writers to comment upon the transactions of the day. No doubt that is a right which it would be very greatly to the in jury ot the people of this country if it were im properly limited or restrained, but I think you will see ' from the way in which this pub lication has been concocted and carried on, that those who encouraged it were not actuated by any bona fide intention or motive of eelightenine or instructing the public, but that they were fully aware at the time they embarked in it, from the fact of their trying to cover their proceedings with mystery and disguise, that they were engaged in an illegal course of conduct. For instance, Mr. Lawson, who, I understand, is either a clerk or employed in some capacity in the City of London Poor-law Union, whose office is in St. Mary-axe, in the City, introduced himself or is introduced to the printer, whom I shall call before you, under the male of Mr. Williams, and not under his own name, in order that there should be no means of tracing to him him any evil deed of which any person had a right to complain. I also stated be fore, and I repeat, that there is no entry of this journal at the Stamp-office at Somerset-house, as is usual. There is great difficulty in tracing, on the part of any person who may be injured by any article in it, who are the people to be held in any de gree responsible for the publication. An observation escaped me the other day with respect to this publica tion which I described as a " cheap publication." I was corrected, and told that its price was fourpence, and I find that that is so, but I beg that it may be understood that in stating that I did not intend making the slighteft reflection upon cheap publica tions, some of which undoubtedly contribute largely to the instruction, education, and amuse ment of the people ; and I should be very sorry to make any observations to their prejudice. But I am sure that with any respectable journal, and at whatever price it may be published, you will always have the means of finding out who are the parties connected with it, that they will not sail under false colours, or endeavour to screen themselves by the adoption of false names ; that they will give to those of whose conduct, through inadvertence, they have complained, the opportunity of correct ing any misstatements which may have been made respecting them, and that they will readily furnish the names of the authors of misstatements, with a view of granting redress. As I said before, this system of annoyance has gone on till it has been found a matter of impossibility to bear with it any longer, and having snored in the matter, it is the inteution of the directors of the Bank of London to prosecute this charge with that vigour which I am sure will enable them to put down a system of so base and infamous a nature as that which has been pursued by these defendants. Mr. Paul Graham, of the firm of Graham and Co., printers, New Street-square, was then sworn, THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, MAY_ 4, 1857. INVERNESS AND NAIRN. The half-yearly meeting was held at Inverness on Tuespay—Mr. Mlntosh in the chair. The SECRETARy read the report, an abstract of which appeared in The Sun. Mr. MATHESON, M.P., approved the course the directors had pursued. They had plainly stated the real facts of the case, and had not attempted to "cook the accounts°" as had been but too often done in the vain hope that thingswould come right in the end. Such conduct ought to increase the con fidence of the shareholders in the board. The CHAIRMAN said it was peculiarly gratifying to the shareholders to hear the largest shareholder in the company thus expressing himself ; and he felt the directors could not but be encouraged to put forth every effort in their power to improve the position of the company. He had no fear whatever as to the future of the line. It would speedily im prove, and as they would in a short time have one 1 unbroken line from Inverness to London their tra ffic would so increase as that the line must be a pay ing one. t i t he report was then adopted, and the meeting was made special to authorise the directors to get through Parliament to create a preference stock and otherwise raise funds to complete the works and extension of the line. All the resolutions were passed unanimously. THE BANK OF FRANCE AND THE NEW FRENCH (From the Economist.) The Bank of France is one of the greatest cora mercial institutions on record. It was established in 1800 by the first Napoleon, and has therefore existed now upwards of half a century. It has had to con tend against all the political changes and revolu- I tions which have happened within that eventful period, and beingthe bank of the State, and almost under the direct control of the State, it may natu rally be supposed that it has been exposed to extra ordinary coercions and temptations dangerous to its solvency and credit. During the first 15 yearn of its existence, the resources of France were drained to the dregs to sustain the great Euro pean conflicts in which Napoleon was engaged, and during that period the Government was often pressed for supplies for the military chests. On more than one occasion the Bank of France had to witness all the French securities it held reduced to less than one-half of their original value. After a long interval it had to meet the difficulties of the Revolution of 1830, succeeded by more than one period of severe commercial and monetary crisis, similar to those which the Bank of England encoun tered in 1837 and 1847. Next it had to cope with the reckless and unscrupulous Provisional Govern ment which ruled France in 1848, and to meet the serious difficulties of that and the following years. During the whole of that time, and throughout the whole of those political dangers, we are not aware that at any one moment the' credit of the Bank of France was ever doubted, or that its solvency was ever in danger. It is true that in 1848 the Provi sional Government authorised the Bank to suspend cash payments, and made its notes a legal tender throughout France ; but nevertheless the Bank did not upon any one occasion avail itself of that autho rity. In every case in which its notes were pre sented for payment they were duly redeemed in cash, and at no moment therefore did they suffer the slightest depreciation. These facts are conclu sive as to the advantageous character of the consti-, tutioe of the Bank, and equally, or even more so, as to the prudence and ability of its management. Of later years the deepest depression in the affairs of the Bank of France was in 1849. Iu that year the total business of the Bank, in the shape of ad vances of every description, was reduced to 48,659,000/. In 1847, the year preceding the Revolution, it amounted to 74,155,0001. From that the increase of the transactions of the Bank has been steady and rapid, and remarkable in amount. In 1852 the amount of the business was represented byadvancesto the extent of 95,800,0001. In 1853 they rose to 155,500,000/. ; in. 1855 to 189120,000/. ; and in the last year to the enor mous sum of 223,105,5761. In the - latter year ' the amount of bills discounted in Paris was 60,483,000/., and in the branch banks 116,302, 6701., making together 176,716,3921. Not only, however, have the transactions of the Bank of France risen to this unparalled amount, but the gains have increased in even a greater p ro po r tio n , caused no doubt, by the high rates of interest which have been current during the last two years. In 1854 the gross profits amounted to 746,5281. ; in 1835 they reached 906,964/. ; and last year they rose to the extraordinary sum of 1,350,512/. Of course these sums are subject to a certain deduction for the expense of manage ment. The entire capital represented by the shares of the Bank of France is 3,600,000/., so that a dividend of between 20 and 25 per cent. has been paid with little difficulty upon the original value of the shares. It is under these circumstances that it is now proposed to double the amount of the existing capital, a . course suggested by the obvious desirableness of having a broader basis of security for transactions of such magnitude. That the operations of the Bank will continue to increase there can be little doubt • not, nowever, as a consequence of the increase of the capital, but as a consequence of the further deve lopment of the trade of the country. Taking, how ever, the condition of the Bank as it now stands, what will be the immediate effect of this increase of capital ? It is proposed that 3,600,0001. shall be subscribed and invested in French Rentes, which may be done at a rate which will give about 4 per cent. interest. The only increase of profit which will be derived, therefore, from doubling the capital will be a sum of 144,000/., to be added to the gross profits made in the last year of 1,350,572/., while the number or shares and the amount over which the net profits will be divisible will be doubled— that is, it will be raised from a sum of 3,600,0001. to one of 7,200,000/. The effect will therefore be to reduce the dividend upon the shares of the Bank of France to little more then a half of the present rate ; which reduced rate may still, however, be computed at about 12 per cent. The original amount of the shares of the Bank of France was 1,000 f., or 40/. ; the new shares are to be issued at 1,100/., or 44/.. which will still give nearly 11 per cent. dividend. Inasmuch, however, as the new shares are to be issued to the existing shareholders in proportion to the number of old shares which they hold, no injustice will be done by the low rate at which they are fixed. The operation on the part of the Government assumes the form of a loan. The new capital is to be invested in Three per Cent. Rentes at the price of the time, to be created and added to the present amount of the national debt of France. The direct effect will therefore be to take out of the money market 3,600,0001. of floating capital towards the ordinary expenditure of the country in addition to the taxation of the year. It is, in fact, raising a loan in the timeof peace inorder to pay the current expenditure of the year. The investment therefore, of this sum in Rentes will not, as has been supposed, be to improve the value of public securities, but to diminish them by the creation of so much more stock, and to increase the severity of the pressure for money by withdrawing that amount from the capital now applicable to business. It appears, therefore, that inasmuch as the charter of the pre sent Bank of France does not expire before the 31st. of December, 1867, full ten years hence, the chief reason which bas induced the Government to anticipate that event and give a renewal now is in order to make it the means of raising a loan of money, which would be regarded as more objection able in the ordinary form, but which in point of fact is the same thing. In the arrangement, how ever, which is now made, the Government stipu lates for a condition, the effect of which will be that the Bank of France will allow interest upon the Government deposits up to a certain amount. This is to be effected in the following manner : The bank is to make an advance to the Govern ment upon Treasury Bonds to the amount of 3,200,0001., without any charge for interest, ex cepting for such portion of the amount as shall be in excess of the public balances from time to time : so far the Government has made a good bargain for the public. To the Bank of France, however, the arrange ment is most favourable. The charter is to be ex tended by 30 years—that is, until the end of 1897. It is quite obvious from this proceeding that the Government has 'decided to follow out the policy which has been acted upon so much during the last seven years, and to extend the branches of the Bank of France so as to embrace the banking of the whole of France*. In that case there can be no question that its operations must go on extend ing, so as in a few years to give as large a dividend upon the new amount of capital as it has recently done upon the present amount. MURDER AND SIIICIDE.—A woman named Knight, residing near the parish church at Rotherhithe, has mur dered her son and committed suicide. A day or two ago the husband lost his senses, and, to prevent his laying violent hands upon either himself or his family, he was placed under restraint in the asylum, and his wife and child were taken to reside in the house of the uncle, at Rotherhithe. Upon arriving there she seemed to be greatly depressed in mind, and complained bitterly of her state. Her friends, however, cheered her up as well as they were able, and at length considered that she had become reconciled to her fate, and advised her to go to bed with her child. The next morning (Thurs day) the uncle got up between 5 and 6 o'clock—his usual hour to go to work—when he retired to the yard to wash his face, and in drawing the water from the butt he was terrified at seeing his relative, Mrs. Knight, rise to the top of the water. Not knowing whether she was dead or alive, he gave an immediate alarm and sent for the aid of the police and others. In the course of a few minutes Police-constable No. 247 of the M division at tended, as well as some of the neighbours, who succeeded in pulling the unfortunate woman out of the butt, when they found that life was extinct, and had been so for some time. In another water butt was found the body of the infant child. Mr. W. Carter, the coroner for East Surrey, yesterday held an inquest at the Europa Tavern, Rotherhithe. From the evidence adduced it appeared that the unfortunate woman for some time had been predisposed to insanity, and, there being no doubt that she drowned the child and also herself, the jury re turned that Susannah Knight destroyed the lite of her son, George Frederick Knight, when in a state of in sanity. [ADVERTISEMENT.] — Holloway ' s Pills a Salutary Re medy for Indigestion and Liver Complaints. —Edward Sthith, of Newport, Monmouthshire, was afflicted for 15 years with indigestion and liver complaints ; his sym toms were of the severest kind—pain in the stomach after eating, eructations of wind, pain in the back and right shoulder, weakness, languor, and extreme yellow ness of the skin and eyes—physicians only affording temporary relief, when he was induced to obtain this wonderful remedy, and in a short time all painful symp toms disappeared, and he was restored to perfect health. —Sold by all medicine vendors throughout the world ; at Professor Holloway's Establishments, 244, Strand, Londo n , and 80, Maiden-lane, New York ; by A. Stamps , Constan t i nople; ; A, Gaidicy, Smyrna; and E. Muir, Malta. and said—From Dec.. 1855, to May, 1856, we printed the Joint-Stock Companies Journal for the parties who started it, and from that date for others up to April last. Mr. Ransom first started the journal, and a Mr. Campbell, whom I after wards knew as Mr. Menzies. I printed the paper for them for 10 months. During that time Mr. Cockburn was employed on it as advertisement agent. Upon Ransom and Menzies retiring it stopped for about three weeks, and then Mr. Cock burn asked me if I would print it for him. He said he was not the proprietor, but that he was engaged as manager. I . was to be paid by him. He paid me for printing the paper. Mr. Lawson has been at my office. The leading articles were g-merally brought by Mr. Cockburn. I have seen Mr. Lawson correct hisproofs in writing. They were printed slips of articles that were after wards inserted. The manuscripts were always sent away with the proofs, unless Mr. Cockburn took them away when Mr- Lawson did not come. Mr. Cockburn and Mr. Lawson sometimes carne together. The proofs were afterwards burnt. Mr. Cockburn came two or three times a-week, Mr. Lawson only about once a-week, and sometimes he would slip a week. I merely set up the type. The paper was printed elsewhere. I knew Mr. Lawson as Mr. Law son. I heard the name of Williams upon one occa sion' but Ido not think Mr. Lawson knew of it. I called him by his proper name one day in the office, upon which Mr. Cockburn checked me, and said, " I don't want the men and boys to know him by that name; call him by some other name; call him Mr. 'Williams." After that I called him Mr. Wil liams, when I had occasion to mention the name of Mr. Cockburn. Mr. Lawson was not aware of this. Mr. Cockburn gave me advertisements to insert in manuscript and print. Mr. Cockburn called upon me ou Thursday last. He saw some copy on the stone, and said, "I hope you have not got any of my copy here ; I don't want it to go into other hands." I told him I did not think I had any. I told him that Spittle, the officer, had pre viously called, and that I had given him some en velopes. Cross-examined by Mr. Wontner—Mr. Lawson made no concealment about his name. I always addressed him as Mr. Lawson, and he always answered to that name. It was about Christmas last since I saw him. Ido not think it so long ago as six months. I should not like to swear that he ever took any copy away from the office himself. I never received any money from him. Mr. Cockburn was my employer. All that Mr. Lawson did was to correct the slips, and he has not been since Christmas. Re-examined by Mr. Bodkin—Since last Christ mas Mr. Cockburn has taken the slips away. Ido not know who wrote the articles. Sometimes Mr. Cockburn brought the slips back corrected, and sometimes unaltered. Ido not know whose writing the alterations in the proofs was. I have seen Mr. Lawson correct slips at our office. His corrections have been very different from his copy, different from his writing in general, as sometimes we have had pens at the office. Mr. Isaac Argent--I am a printer, at No. 5, Falcon-court, Fleet-street. I printed the last num ber of the Joint Stock CoMpanies Journal. Mr Cockburn, who employed me, furnished me with the manuscript for the publication of the 18th of April. I have had the type set up for another num ber, which has not been published. Mr. Cockburn furnished me with the matter for that. Since the last hearing Mr. Henderson called, and I searched and found a slip of a corrected proof. I do not know when the alterations in it were made, but it was taken away by Mr. Cockburn, and was after wards brought back by him and printed. Frederick Simms—l was in the employment of Mr. Cockburn for about nine months. T uQed to go to the banks and insurance offices in the City, and at the West-end to deliver copies of the Joint Stock Companies' Journal. Mr. Cockburn sometimes gave them to me, and sometimes I got them from the machine-room, in Cursitor-street. I delivered 97, 84, and 104 copies in a day. I know Mr. Lawson by sight. Mr. Cockburn used to send me to Mr. Graham's to see if the proofs were ready, and when I got them I delivered them to Mr. Lawson. I told him I was to wait for an answer. Mr. Lawson used to take the proofs out of the letter and return them to me. I then returned them to the printer. I went with proofs to Mr. Lawson four or five times, the last time being four or five weeks ago. have seen the defendants to gether on several occasions. Sometimes I used to carry Mr. Cockburn's pocket-book. (Laughter.) Mr. Cockburn four times called upon Mr. Lawson for the proofs, and he brought them oct and gave them to me, and [ returned them to the printer. I have left a great number of the journal of the 18th of April at different places. I told Mr. Cockburn that the people of the London Joint Stock Bank had desired me not to leave any more, upon which he said I was to tell them that I was to leave them without being •paid for them. Mr. Cockburn told me upon the day on which I was taken into custody to carry 100 papers. He swung a placard round my neck at the Royal Exchange, and told me to walk up and down Threadneedle street, and to go into the banks and try to sell the paperS. He told me if any policeman came up to me and ordered me to move on, I was to go on a little way and to return again. He said if a po liceman came and threatened to take me into cus toly,l was to till him I did not care, for he would soon come and fetch me out of prison. I had sold a good many copies of the paper before I was taken into custody. I gave 5 , . 10d. that I received for papers to Mr. Cockburn. I remember a gentleman asking Mr. Cockburn, when he was putting the board round my neck , if what was printed on it was true, and Mr. Cockburn said it was quite as true as that about the British Bank. Mr. Francis Palmer—l am clerk in the secre tary's office of the Bank of London. Mr. Cockburn has frequently been to our office, and applied for advertisements for his journal, but they were never given to him. I told him that we never gave them out, and that all our advertisements were sent to our advertising agents. He has frequently called on ti.e same errand, and has asked me to let him see Mr. Scott (the manager of the bank), as the advertising agents would not give him advertise ments without our authority. He saw Mr. Scott upon only one occasion. I afterwards refused to let him see him. I told him that there were posi tive orders that he should not have our advertise ments. He then offered me tickets for the theatre if I would get his name put on the list for adver tisements. I refused to do anythin , - , of the kind. Sometimes he asked for a prospectus and_some times for a report. Cross-examined by Mr. Metcalfe—The placard refers to the retirement of 140 shareholders. That statement is untrue. They did not all retire. Some of them have died, and their shares are in the names of their executors. Others have sold their shares. A hundred and thirty shares have been bought by 90 others. Re-examined by Mr. Bodkin—The persons who retired sold their shares to other persons who have bought them. Every share is represented by a proprietor. The Lord Mayor—Every share has an owner ? Witness—Every share has an owner. Mr. Henry Colyer, bookseller, of 39, Cornhill, said—l did not give any authority to Mr. Cock burn to insert my name as publisher of the Joint Stock Companies Journal, nor for letters or com munications to he left at my office. John Muir—f live at 274, Strand, and am an engineer's labourer. I ant not the publisher of the Joint Stock Companies Journal. The state ment therein contained that it is ,printed and pub lished by me is untrue. Mr. Alexander Colvin—l am secretary to the BritiTh. Exchequer Life-office. I have seen Mr. Cockburn once or twice. Upon one occasion i bad a conversation with him respecting the Joint Stock Companies Journal. I met him at the Merchants' and Tradesmen's Life-office, and in the course of conversation with Mr. Thompson and myself, he stated that they were supplied with funds for the gratuitous distribution of copies of the journal among the directors and officers of the Bank of London, the National and Provincial Assurance office, the Falcon Life-office, and generally, as I understood him, in any quarters in which it might be thought desirable to circulate it. He did not mention the quarter from which the funds were supplied. Some general conversation occurred re specting the paper, and Mr. Thompson and I both said we thought the articles unfair. 1 have re ceived copies of the journal for months past with out any charge being made for them. I never ordered them. Mr. Bodkin here asked for a remand. • Mr. Wontner—On the part of Mr. Lawson, I make no objection to hi s re - appear i ng here. He appears on a summons to-day, and he is anxious that the case should be fully investigated. He de nies his connexion with the article complained of, and I think I shall be able to convince your lord on a subsequent occassion that really there is no ground whatever for asserting that he has been party to any conspiracy to defraud the bank. Mr. Bodkin—We don't charge him with any conspiracy to rob the bank ; we charge him with conspiracy in trying to damage its reputation. The further hearing of the charge was then post poned, and the defendants entered into their re cognisances in 1001. each to attend on a subsequent occasion. The Grenadier Guards have sent out.nine parties, the Coldstreams five parties, and Scots Fuliliers seven par ties. The recruits to be taken are to be five feet ten inches in height, and not under eighteen years of age, and to be men of good character. A PAINFUL INVESTIGATION. At the Thames police-court, on Saturday, Henry Hills, aged 50, was brought before Mr. Yardley, charged with criminally assaulting Anna Stamp, a girl aged 10 years, and also with indecently assault ing Louisa Sidman, aged 13 years, and several other girls. Mr. Joseph Smith defended the prisoner. The investigation was one of a most painful de scription. The prisoner has for some time filled the office of assistant clerk of the Poplar Union, and for a considerable period has performed all the duties of chief clerk, in consequence of the illness of Mr. Symonds, who holds that office. The pri soner was considered by the guardians of the union, his neighbours, and most of the parishioners of All Saints, Poplar, as a respectable, well-conducted, and moral man. The prisoner's wife and two daughters have for many yearsokept a day school for girls, and the daughters of the most respectable tradesmen and mechanics in the parish were among their pupils. The prisoner, who has made a full confession of his guilt, has contaminated in a greater or less degree nearly all his wife's scholars, and it was painful to see so many intelligent, well-behaved, and hand some girls, between the ages of nine and thirteen, waiting to give evidence against the prisoner for grossly immoral conduct towards them. • Thomas Stamp, a highly respectable man, a ship wright, was the first witness ; he was deeply af fected. He said : I live at No. 5, Kirby-street, Poplar. I have a daughter ten years of age in August. She has been at school with the wife of the prisoner, and I am sorry to say she has been ruined by that person there (pointing to the pri soner), who is a very bad man. In consequence of something I had beard from my wife and daughter I consulted several friends, and among them were Mr. Kidman, Mr. Hill, and others, whose children had been indecently assaulted, and on Wednesday evening we went to the prisoner's house, and we told him we wished to speak to him in private, and said we had been informed he had taken indecent liberties with our children, and that he had impro perly exposed his own person and their persons. He bitterly denied it, and called God to bear wit ness he had not done so. I said, " You know you have violated my child," and asked him if he could say in the presence of his Maker that he had not done so. He then said he bad been romping with my child, arid nothing else. I said, "It is good job I was not there, or I should have struck your head off." He then stood up, and made a full confession of his guilt. Mr. Yardley : Do not make use of the words "full confession," but tell me exactly what he said, in his own words. Witness : He said, "I am a guilty man, and all I can do is to ask mercy at your hands." I said, " Had you any mercy on my child when you rudely laid hands upon her ?" He then said he had put his hands up the clothes of the young ladies in the school, and had exposed his person to them, and exposed their persons at the same time (sensation and murmurs in court). The witness, wbo looked indignantly at the prisoner, exclaimed, " The scoundrel ! the wretch !" Mr. Yardley begged of him to be calm, and not give way to his feelings. He then went on to say that persons came to him and asked him to compromise the matter, which he refused to do. He thought the case a very trifling one at first, but he had since found out it was a most serious one. Last' night when he went home he found that Dr. Gray had been to his house to effect a settlement, which was declined. He refused to see Dr. Gray, and said that he would take the law on the prisoner, and he would see what mercy the law would show to him. He heard that the prisoner was about to abscond, and he went to his house, in Poplar, that morning, and gave him into custody. The prisoner then made a full confession of his guilt. Mr. Yardley : What did he say ?—Witness : He said he was deserving of punishment. I can scarcely tell you, sir, bow far he did go in his wicked assault on my child. I told him he was charged with violating my child, and he went down on his knees and prayed for mercy. Anna Stamp, a fine girl, aged 11 years, who sobbed loudly when she was put into the witness box, deposed to several infamous and inde cent assaults committed upon her by the pri soner just before and soon after Christmas last in the kitchen of his house. The last outrage and abuse of the girl occupied a quarter of an hour and was at tended with the most offensive and revolting cir cumstances. The prisoner had assaulted her three times. In cross-examination by Mr. Smith, the girl said that she told Miss Kidman, a fellow pupil, what the prisoner had done, and she communicated all that had happened to her mother five months ago. She resisted the prisoner as much as she could, but he used her very ill and threw her down on the floor on each occasion. John Martin, a police-constable, No. 441 K, said that when he took the prisoner into custody he told him to be very careful what he said, for he should repeat the whole of what he said to the magistrate. The prisoner then made a confession of what he had done to his wife's pupils. The constable stated at length what the prisoner had said, which is too gross for publication, and also said the prisoner concluded his remarks by saying anything further than that I call God to witness I never did. Mr. William Longhurst, of 4, Kirby-street, Pop lar, whose daughter had been indecently assaulted, said her case was nearly parallel to the one just heard. It was a most flagrant and disgusting case. The evidence of the doctor, who had made a medi cal examination of one of the young ladies, would show that the prisoner had been guilty of violence. All the girls, 61 in number, in Mrs. 'Hill's school, had communicated to each other that the prisoner bad assaulted them improperly. He and his neigh ours had sent their daughters to Mrs. Hill's school to be properly educated and their morals improved, but to their utter disgust and astonish ment, they ascertained that the prisoner had con taminated every girl in the school kept by his wife and daughter. Louisa Kidman, a very genteel girl, 13 years of age, deposed to three infamous assaults committed upon her by the prisoner, who, on the last occa sion when he acted so improperly, made use of very naughty words and said, "If you were, a little older and I was a little younger, I would marry you, my dear." Mr. Longhurst said there were six or seven other cases. Tne girls who had been interfered with so grossly were in court. Mr. Yardley said there was some evidence of a felony in the case of Miss Stamp, but not quite suf ficient to commit the prisoner fur rape. He should therefore commit the prisoner for trial for misde meanour in that case, and also in the case of Miss Sidman. He was sure he was consulting the feel ings of the distressed parents before him and the interests of public morality in declining to enter into any more of these painful cases. It was de sirable this investigation should not be prolonged. As far as was consistent with public justice, he wished to consult the feelings of the parents and the feelings of their children. The investigation was the most painful one that had ever come under his notice, and he thought public justice would be satisfied by committing the prisoner for trial on two charges only. The depositions were then formally taken by Mr. Bowdler, the second clerk, and the witnesses bound over to prosecute and give evidence against him. The prisoner on reaching the gaoler's room ap peared half frantic, and said, "I am a guilty man ; I am a ruined man ; I deserve to be hanged for what I have doile." The prisoner bad made preparations for a flight to America, and would have been away on Satur day afternoon if he had not been arrested. [ADVERTISSICSNT.j—SPORTSMEN AND GENTLEMEN OF TBE ARMY AND NAVY.—S. and 13. Solomon, opticians, 39, Albe marle-street, Piccadilly, W. Observe—opposite the York Hotel. —Portability, combined with great power in Field, Racecourse, Opera, and general out-door day and night powerful waistcoat pocket Perspective Glasses, weighing only four ounces, each containing 12 and 18 lenses, con structed of German g'ass, will snow distinctly a person's countenance two and a half and three miles. They serve every purpose on the race-course, and at the opera houses, country scenery, and ships are clearly seen at 8 to 10 miles. They are also invaluable for shooting, deer-stalking, and yachting. Single ones, the Si 9 of a w,l-,ut, co 3sessing the same great power. Her Majesty's Coast-Guards are making use of tbem as day and night glasses, in preference o ail others; they have also become iu general use by gentlemen, of the Army and Navy, and by sportsmen, gentlemen, game keepers, and tourists. The most powerful and brilliant telescopes, porsse!sing such extraordinary power that some, three and a-half inches, with an extra ast-onornical eye piece will show distinctly Jupiter's moons, Saturn's ring, and the double stars ; with the same telescope can be seen a per son's countenance three-and-a-half miles distant and an object from 14 to 16 miles. All the above can be had of larger and all sizes, with increasing powers, and are secured by leer Majesty's Royal Letters Patent. Newly-invented Spectacle Lenses of the greatest transparent power. The valuable advantage derived from this invention is, that vision becomes preserved and strengthened ; very aged persons are enabled to employ their sight at the most minute occupation—can see with these lenses of a much less magnifying power—and they do not require the fre quent changes to the dangerous effects of further power ful assistance. Persons can be suited at the most remote part of the world by sending one of the glasses out of their spectacles in a letter, and stating the distance from the eye they can read small print with it, and those who have not made use of Spectacles by stating their age. `Deafness.—A. newly-invented instrument for extreme cases of deafness, called the Sound Magnifier, Organic Vibrator, and invisible Voice Conductor. It fits so into the ear as not to be in the least perceptible; the unpleasant sensation of singing noises in the heal is entirely 3 enao 'ed. It affords instant relief to the deafest persons, and enables them to hear distinctly at church and at public assemblies. 39, Albemarle-street, Picca dilly--opposite the York Hotel. DARING BURGLARY. One of the most daring and violent burglaries per petrated for some time past in this neighbourhood-was committed on Wednesday night, or rather early on& Thursday morning, at the Vicarage, Yardley. About 2 o'clock the Rev. Mr. Gwyther was awakened by a. load noise, subsequently ascertained to have been cause& by the bursting open of the hall door. The burglars were shOrtly afterwards beard ascending the stairs, and: on reaching the landing proceeded immediately to the rev. gentleman's bedroom door. Mr. and Mrs. Gwy ther rushed to the door of their apartment, in hopes. of preventing the entrance of the ruffians. All the re• sistance they .were able to offer was entirely unavail ing. The burglars broke open the door by furious kicks, and two of their number entered the room, the• one armed with an iron bar, with which he struck Mr. Gwyther across the neck, fortunately without. inflicting any serious injury, and the other with a. pistol, which he presented at that gentleman's head.. Both the ruffians uttered the most outrageous threats,. one of them in particular calling upon his comrade to beat his brains out. A third burglar below stairs now called to his associates, inquiring if " more should come , up," to which, evidently confident in their ability to over power any resistance, the robbers replied " No, we are enough for them." Mr. Gwyther entreated the assail-- ants to spare his life, and they should have all he could. give them. They at length desisted from their violence, having extorted from him a promise not to prosecute , them. Mr. Gwyther then delivered up to them two• valuable watches, some jewellery, and other property to• the' value of 301. They next demanded the com munion plate, but, on being told that it was not in the house, departed after some farther searching. Mrs. Gwyther then proceeded to call up her bro ther and the servant man, who slept in the back part of the house, and had not been dieturhed by the noise made by the burglars. They were, however, too late in appearing on the scene to render any assistance, and the ruffians effected their retreat without molesta tion, carrying with them their ill-gotten plunder. Mr. Gwyther is unable to give any description of the thieves. excepting that one of them was taller than the other,, and dressed in fustian clothes, while his companion wore. dark ones. Their faces were disguised by crape masks. To show the evident deliberation and coolness with which the robbers acted it may be mentioned that it was die-- covered upon examination of the premises that the back door had been fastened by them on the outside, thus pre-- venting the egress of any of the inmates to give are alarm. A bell had also been carried out of the house and planed in an arbour in the garden, lent any one should ring it. A short ladder was also found in the garden, which had, no doubt, been brought to facin tate entrance through the bedroom windows, had the fastenings of the door been too strong for the thieves easily to force. On the day preceding the outrage a tall man, somewhat resembling one of the burglars„ called at the vicarage and made some frivolous inquiries about glazing the front of the church clock. Several footmarks were traceable across the garden, but not sufficiently defined to indicate the precise strength of the gang. The occurrence hac excited no small conster nation in the vicinity. We trust, should the perpetra tors of the outrage be discovered, Mr. Gwyther will not consider his extorted promise so binding as to. prevent his giving that evidence which may lead to the-infliction upon them of the punishment they deserve.—lairminge ham Mercury. Country Markets. EDINBURGH GRAIN.-Arßir. 29. A good supply of grain to-day. Sales heavy, and prices for all kinds much better, with the exception of barley. Wheat, on the top, 3s Od up, and on the average 3s 4d up. Barley, is 6d up on the top, and Os 2d down on the average. Oats on the top is Od down—on the average Os 4l up. Beans on the top 3s up, and on the average Os 5d up. Tares from Ms to 55s per quarter. Potatoes—Regents, from 20s to 255; Orkney reds, 15s. to 18s. AVERAGES PER IMPERIAL QUARTER. Wheat Do. new Barley Oats Beam £2 3 8 'O-12ths. 0 0 0 0-12th. 1 19 6 3-12ths. 1 9 4 6-12ths. 2 1 5 2-12ths. Total Supply and Sales. Wheat 1316 qrs sold 1171 qrs Barley 438 qrs sold 227 qrs Oats 1259 qrs sold 680 qrs Beans lB4 yrs sold 173 yrs HADDINGTON GRAIN MARKET—MAY L rwaRAT. I BARLI , OATS. sEAN 8. (1s Od 43s Od 33s Od 1 45s Oct , First..., Second 43s 4d 1 37s 0.., , -93 .tid i 41s 141. Third 33s Od I 24s 0,1 1 263 Od 1 36s Od Total quantity of wheat in market, 638 qrs., 601 sold ft St barley „ 142 qrs., 136 sold tt JP oats ~., 361 qrs., 354 sola ,l , Pt beans ft 148 qrs., 148 sold AVERAGES PER IMPERIAL QUARTER. Wheat, 2/. 3 4 6-12ths 1 Barley, ...11. 17 9 1042 am Oats, ... 11. 9 8 2-I2ths 1 Beans, 21. ‘• 1 1 3-12th a DALIMTH GRAIN MARKET—APRIL 30. Qrs. Best. Current. Inferior 490 Wheat 64s Od 3Bs 74 691 Oats 31s 64 2ss 10id.......... 173 Od 151 Barley 405 Od 37s 64 ..... —.. 283 Od 47 Peas & beaus 43i 6d 39s 3'd 363 04 ABERDEEN-MAT 1. Potato oats 22s Od to 23s Od 1•401bs per - bushel Common oats 21s Od to 22s Od Bere RIB Od to 35s Od I mi t .. Barley 31s Od to 35s Od f '''''''' If , Wheat, red (spring)3ls Od to 37s Od white 32s Od to 50s Oct 1 621bs • „ Oatmeal ' 178 6d to 18s 6d per boll. Flour 41s Od to 45s Oct per sack. PROVISION MARKET. Beef, per lb 6d to 9d Butter, plb. Os lld to Is 01 Mutton, per lb 7d to 9d Eggs, p doz. Os 6cl to Os 8d Lamb, do., Os Od to Os 0 Hens, p pair 3s •Od to 3s 6d Veal, per lb ... 7d to Os 9d I Chickens,do.2B Od to 2s 6cl Pork, per 1b...0s 6d to Os 8d Ducks, do., 2s Od to 2s 6d Salmon, per lb .... ..... ls 6d Ducklings,o Os Od to 0.1 Od Grouse, per brace.-...0s to Os Turkeys, each 4s Od to 5s Od Tallow, p stone, Os to 103 0:1 Potatoes, per peck, (U to 14d Rabbits, each 3d to 4d. Butter for exportation (present cure) per cwt.... 84s to 90s, Eggs, wholesale price, per dozen .... ............ .....5Ad to 6' .i RETAIL PRICES. F10ur,141b....08 Od to 2s 6d Barley flour,l4lb.Os to 2s 2d Oatmeal Os Od to is 9d „ dust, Beremeal Od to is 10d „ per lb 2d to 2A& Peasemeal... - Os Od to 2s 8d Sids, 746 Cheese, per imperial stone, 4s. Od. to 4s 6d 4-lb. 10af..17d. I 2-Ib. 10af...3id. DUBLIN, MAY 1. White wheat, 338 6d to 37s Od. ; red ditto, 32s Od to 35a 6d; ditto new, —s; barley, malting, 16s 6d to 25s 6d ; grind ing, —s to —s ; oats, old, 13s 3d to 16e; ditto, new, —s Od to —s Od ; oatmeal, 15s to 16s 6d; here, new, —3 to s Od ; rapese' d, —s Od to —s Od per brl ; bakers' flour, 18s Od to 24s Od per owt ; Indian corn, 34s Od to 36i 0,1 per 480 lbh. STEAM COMMUNICATION WITH IRELAND.—Arrange ments have been made with the South Wales, Great Western, and Vale of Neath Railway Companies, for improved communication with the south of Ireland- to carry out which object the steam-ship Pacific, of 1:50f14 tons and 550-horse power, has been purchased of Mr. G. A. Lloyd, and will make her first trip between Mil ford Haven and Cork, on the Bth inst., after which she will run twice, a week from each port. This fine steamer is elegantly fitted for passengers, and was greatly ad mired by those on board at the great naval review. She. was built to attain a hich rate of speed, and made isomer very rapid runs in the Mediterranean, while iirthe trans port serv,ee. [AnvsansEmENT.l—The greatest happiness of a journalist is to introduce to his readers some new discovery calculated to benefit that vast portion, of our fellow-creatures which has the strongest claims upon our sympathies." It is with this feeling that we call the attention of invalids to the following extracts from Du Barry's interesting Report of Cures without medicine of Indigestion (Dyspepsia), Flatulency, Constipation, Nervous, Bilious, and Liver complaints, Cough, Asthma, Consumption, and Debility, by Du Barry's Reva lenta Arabida Food. Cure No. 180.—Twenty-five years' ner vousness, constipation, indigestion, and debility, from which I had suffered great misery, and which no medicine could remove or relieve, have been effectually cured by Du Barry's food in a very short time.—W. R. Reeves, 181, Fleet street, London. Cure No. 1,784.—N0t expected to live six days longer, I was cured by Du Barry's admirable Health-restoring Arabica Food.—Magdalena Purvis, Moffat, Scotland. Cure No. 5,461. —Sixty years' partial paralysis; affecting one-half of my frame, and which had resisted all other remedies, has yielded to Du Barry's Health-restoring Food, and I now con sider myself a stranger to all complaints excepting a hearty old age.—Wm. Hunt, barrister-at-law, King's College, Cambridge. bupported by testimonials from the celebrated Professors of Chemistry, Dr. Andrew IJre ; Dr. Shorland ; Dr. Harvey ; Dr. Campbell ; Dr. Gattiker ; Dr. Wurzer ; Dr. Ingram ; Lord Stuart de Decies ; the Dowager Countess of Castle stuart ; Major-Gen. Thomas King, and many other respectable persons, whose health has been restored by it, after all other means of cure had failed. For further particulars respect ing this invaluable food our readers are referred toDu Barry's advertisemeut in another part of this paper. BIRTHS. OF A SON. On the 30th nit., at Wargrave, the wife of the Rev, Alan Cheales. On the Ist inst., at 6, Shandwick-place, Edinburgh, Mrs. Gilbert Mitchell lures. On the 2d inst., at Harrow, the wife of Lieut.-Col. G. H. Swinley, of the Bengal Artillery OF A DAUGHTER. On the 30th ult., at Tufnell-park west, Holloway, the wife of N. J. Crocker, EN. On the Ist inst., at Norton Vicarage, the Hon. Mrs. Clements. MARRIED, • On the 30th ult., at St. George's, Hanover-square, James John Frost, Esq., jun., to Anna Maria Sheen, youngest daughter of the late Oliphant Samuel Sheen, Esq. On the 2d inst., at St. Pancras, Charl'e's Percy, son of the late William Jones Percy, M.D., of Char.es-street, St. James's square, and Hertford, to Louisa, youngest daughter of the late Win. Smith, Esq., of the Exchequer Seal-office, White hall, and Cambridge. 4' DIED. On the 26th Feb., at Calcutta, in the prime of life, George Canning Jerdan, son of William Jerdan, Esq. He was for, several years connected with the " Calcutta Englishman' newspaper. On the 30th ult., at Englefield Lodge, Surrey, aged '4B, Captain Walker Pitcairn, Elder Brother of Trinity House. On the Ist inst., Mrs. Mostyn, of Sillwood Lodge, Brighto n, in the 81st year her age. LONDON : Printed and Published by ISITTRDO YOUNG of No, 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sun Office. N ° ' 112, Strand, in the Precinct of the Savoy, in the oonntY of Middlesex, Monday, May 4, 1857. i 1 i 1 '