The Sun. — London, England, 1857-09-23 00:00:00

DR. LIVINGSTON AT EDINBURGH. The freedom of the city of Edinburgh was con ferred on Dr. Livingston, the African traveller, on Monday afternoon, in the Queen-street Hall. The civic corporation attended in their robes, and the hall was crowded with from 1,000 to 1,200 persons. The burgess ticket purported to be conferred by the Town-council on Dr. Livingston in testimony of their admiration of the courage and undaunted per severance displayed by him during his journey through South Africa, and their sense of the valu able services rendered by humin opening a way f or the diffusion of the blessings of Christianity and civilisation among the inhabitants of that hitherto unknown land. The LORD PROVOST, in presenting the burgess ticket, said—l have now the hono ur o f pl ac ing in your 'hands this burgess ticket, which contains the resolution unanimously adopted by the members of this Town-council, to mark the grateful sense enter tamed by U 3 of your heroic efforts in the cause of religion and civilisation. The exertions made by you to open a way for diffusing the blessings of Christi anity and science in central Africa have been con templated by us with feelings of admiration and gratitude. The country which you have chosen as the sphere of your philanthropic labours has long been regarded with solicitude by the inhabi tants of Great Britain. Many have gone before you and have trodden the path of scientific dis covery. Like you, they have made vast sacrifices in order to explore its hidden and unapproached recesses. To you belongs the especial honour of being the herald of the Gospel of Peace to thein habitants of that dark and desolate region, and at ' the same time the instrument of conveying to them a knowledge of the advantages of commerce and civilisation. . The all-important object of diffus ing the Gospel light is that to which your energies have been first and chiefly devoted. You have practically recognised the important truth that the advantages of science are as nothing unless united to the benign influence of our holy faith. (Loud applause.) The example which you have thus given. will, we trust, be followed by many who will be encouraged by what you have been enabled to achieve. For your success in the Christian and philanthropic work to which you are again about to devote yourself, let me assure you that our best wishes and most fervent prayers go along with you. (Applause.) That your past and future efforts to accomplish this important object may be crownel with signal success is .the fervent prayer, not only of us who are here met to do you honour, but of many not now present, whose grateful attention excited by your past exertions will be anxiously directed to your future efforts—efforts on which blcssings will be invoked by your countrymen of your own day, and which we trust and believe will be the means of calling forth blessings oa your memory from generations yet unborn. (Loud applause.) Happily throughout the vast extent of our country's dominions the blight of slavery has ceased to ' exist. (Applause.) It is far otherwise in the country to which you are about to return. The cry of injured justice may well be raised from Africa to Europe, for we owe to her a large debt of reparation. May it be yours to loosen the bands of the oppressed, and may you live to wit ness the approach of the time when the soil of Africa shall be as free as that of the land which gave you birth, and is proud to claim you as one of her sons. (Loud and prolonged applause.) Dr. LIVINGSTON, after thanking his lordship and the audience for his reception, and premising that perhaps the most suitable acknowledgment he could make would be to communicate to them a little information about Africa, said,—Thera is a good deal of ignorance about Africa in England, just as we have in Africa about England. (A laugh.) In fact, in that respect we are very much alike. I have been quite astonished at some of the questions put to me since my return to this country. One of the most common is this—would the people of Africa be induced to cultivate the soil ? Now, the fact of the matter is, that all the African tribes who have it in their power cultivate the soil, ex cept the Bushmen, who are an exception in every respect, and who never cultivate the soil or keep domestic animals, and neverhave any abiding place. Their language, too, is exceptional, bat all the other tribes of Africa show by their language and customs that they are one family of people. The Africans look upon us white people as only another tribe of men, and when I attempt to toll what their numbers may be, they put tc me the question, "Are they as many as a cloud of locusts I" If I say yes, they ask further whether, if each of the white people were to take a locust into his hand, they would finish the whole cloud. Of course I say I think they would. Then they will add, " Your Queen must be very rich indeed when she has so many people." "Oh yes," I reply, " ahe ia exceedingly rich ;" and I am asked, " Has she many cows I"—a question I really could never an swer (laughter) ; and then when I mention the fact that I have never seen the Queen they say, " Wbat sort of people must you be never to have seen your chief ?" A great many other questions show the same kind of ignorance respecting us. Many Elite peen gentlemen have gone to that country to hunt, but, as the Africans have no idea of sport, they wonder to see gentlemen working so hard for a lit tle dry antelope meat, and they put the question to me, " Have ycur friends no meat at home ?" (A laugh.) Not wishing my friends to appear in such a light, I say, " These gentlemen could have beef every day of their lives if they liked ;" but they reply to me, "Aga, you know better." (Laughter.) In reference to the cultivation of the soil, we find that they labour most industriously, and that the grain they raise requires more labour than the crop would do in this country. it is true that in the south part of the country most labour falls to the share of the women, but they do labour most in dustrious!y in the north, and it tikes them aboui, eight months of the year to get their crop. In the central parts of the country we find that they are all anxious to trade, and knowing this, I have not the smallest hesitation in saying that it encouraged to cultivate the raw material for our manufactures they would be delighted to do it. The interior Las been hitherto shut up to us, for many of ' the tribes around the borders have been most unwilling to allow the central tribes to get in tercourse with the white man ; aad I am told that in the centre of thecountrymany expeditions have gone towards the sea coast, and were unable to get there owing to there birder tribes always wishing to get the trade in+o their own hands. Now the °ldea I have in going back again is to try to make a path from the sea to that central country. (Applause.) On the east side of the country we have a large river—the Zambese. This river does not rise where it has been always pointed out to do in the Portu guese maps. Inst ead of that, it rises from near the sources of the Nile, and flows from north to south in the centre of the country. Nearly all the river, in that central part flow from the sides to the centre, and there they form that large river the Zalibt Si, which finds its way from the central valley by means of a large fissere through a high ridge of country, and then appears at that part which the Portuguese maps have always pointed out as its source. It rises many hundred miles bed and that, and the Zambese is, I believe, really and truly an English discovery. fly object in returning to that couutry is to try to get a permanent path to that centralregion from which most of the slaves have always been drawn. The native slave traders go into the central country and carry our manufactures there, and with a few yards of cloth they purchase slaves, and then take them down to the sea coast. The people are so anxious to get our manufactures that they part, not with their own children, but with children kidnapped from other t r ibes. Now hope to be able to make a path up the Zambese to the central Country, and then, if we can suply the people with our good s f or l aw f u l commerce, we have a fair prospect of putti ng a s t o p t o th e slave trade in a very large tract of country. (Applause.) The people in the central part appear to be rather of a higher grade than those near the coast, When E ng li s h peop l e t hi n k a b out Afr i ca, they truagino that all th e Af r i cans are li ke the specimens we have in front of the tobacconists' shops. (Laughter.) This is no t th e case a t a ll . That is the realn e groty l e that is o n ly t o b e f oun d in the lowest part of the ) population. The people g enerally are not altogether bla c k. M any of them a re of olive colour —.0, of the colour of coffee and milk, and usually the higher gr , des of sorest are of this lighter co lour. I ima gine that the type y we see on the eminent Egyptian monum en t s is more near of the central population tha n the typeulati the toba-eo I A laugh.) These ipa ayeref°prlotyhiElier shop variety.people are will ingathreatwer in o at to labour if You labour;. and I believe labour and paying for t Africa would fin 1 manufactures, The reason scope for our own When t. • he . T left Africa reason why I think so is this I saw the people busily engaged in their gardens, both men and women, all down the Zambese--for in the centre country every man has his own gar den, and cultivates enough for his own consump tion. When we came among the Portuguese settlements my men were delighted with the fine gardens and the soil, and they were very much astonished the Portuguese did not cultivate more. Well, I believe, from having seen them labour, and from the great anxiety manifested to collect any little thing they can sell, they would cultivate cotton and other produce for our markets. When I reached the Mauritius I found there a similar spectacle. I found thislittle Island of 35 miles by 25, which is only a mass of 'Volcanic rock, and with a soil not at all equal to the African soil, because there they could not raise sugar without guano, pro ducing by means of improved machinery sugar equal to one-quarter the entire consumption of Great Brita.in. There they bring their labour from THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY E VEINING FEPIEMI3ER, 23, 1857 India. They pay the passage of coolies from India, giving them wages much higher than those common at Natal ; still they become rich upon it. In Africa we have an amazing extent of country totally untilled. In this country you cannot form any idea of the fertility of many parts of Africa. Whea I went to the west I was obliged to use an ox— there are no horses in that country ; but still in passing through some districts the grass was so high that I was obliged to hold my hands before my eyes to keep the grass out. Each stalk of grass there is about as thick as a goose quill, and then we have immense dense forests of trees, about 50 feet high, running straight up wit►hout a single branch. Now, the soil that is capable of producing these trees and that vegetation, seems to me capable of pro ducing anything. And we find that they actually do gro ar the sugar cane, and they do grow cotton, but only to a small extent. These people hwe great confidence in the English, such confidence as they have in no other tribe of white men. When I was lately with the Bakwain tribe, I found that when any English gentleman came to that part of the country he always paid his way honourably ; and such was the confidence this honesty inspired that the natives would go with them 500 miles, all the way to Graham's Town, simply on the promise of a small payment when there. They would also go wile them to the north, and hunt with them for months together, serving them faithfully all the time, and trusting their honour as Englishmen. They would not have trusted a Boer or any other tribe but the English. I could appeal to English gentlemen who have visited that country that when they wanted two guides their only difficulty was lest four should go with them. From a number of other circumstances I see a probability of the in terior people cultivating their produce in return for our manufactures, and my great wish is to link the interests of Africa with those of England. I have a two-fold object in view. I believe that commerce is a most important aid in diffusing the blessings of civilization. (Hear.) When a tribe begins to trade with another it feels a sense of mutual dependence ; and this is a most important aid in diffusing the blessings of Christianity, be cause one tribe never goes to another without telling the news, and the Gospel comes in to be part of their news, and the knowledge of Christianity is, thus spread by means of conimerce. Again, we know that our own country is in a great measure dependent for its supply of cotton on the United States. We are dependent for our supplies of this material on slave labour. Now, no Englishman is content with this state of things, and the majority of the Americans detest slavery as much as we do ; but still we are going to them with increased de mands for cotton, which effectually helps the slave holder to maintain his system. Now, I wish to direct the attention of my countrymen to this new field as a means of relieving slaveholders from feel ing it as a necessity to have slaves. If we get abundant supplies of the raw material from Africa we shall soon find that the slaveholders will become more enlightened than they are at present. (A laugh.) I have hopes of Africa from the fact that we have, both in Eastern and Western Africa, a healthy highland region. The form of the conti nent is a kind of basin. The central part is a basin for the rivers that flow from the sides, and they there is a slope towards the sea. This elevated regi - )n. is quite a healthy one, and is watered and drained by the Zambese. From this point to the sex is about GOO miles, and there is only one rapid in all that distance. Entering it from the ocean we hive 300 miles of a good large river, then this small rapid ; beyond that we have 300 miles more, and then we are at the healthy ridge, which might be made a sanitarium, from which bath com mercial and military enterprise might be carried to to the leas healthy region beyond. This is the path by which I hope to be able to establish trade with Africa. The Portuguese at present command the outlets on both sides, but they have always treated me with great kindness, and if the resources of Africa are developed they will get more by that development than any other nation in the world. They are not the masters of the country by any means. Their wars with the Caffres have not, like ours, been paid fur by the mother-country, and iu fact they kept them shut up in their fort at Tete during two whole years. The chiefs who havebeaton the Portuguese consider them as a conquered tribe, and oblige one of their villages to pay tribute almost annually. They have a knowledge of the mouth of the Zambese, and might aid commercial enterprise very effectually, and from the knowledge I have of the enlightened yuung King of Portugal I believe the Portuguese will not be wanting in their duty in that respect. On the opposite side of the continent they have exports from Angola worth 100,0001. annually. Had Angola been in the hands of the English, the exports, I believe, would have amounted not to thousands, but to millions, be cause the country inland from Angola, and likewise on the east coast, is fertile beyond anything I can convey an impression of. It is disagreeably fer tile, for everything grows up with only too much fertility. I again thank the Lord Provost for the honour he has done me in presenting me with the freedom of this ancient burgh. I shall always re member with gratitude the kind reception you have given me. Igo back not expecting to meet with any of this excitement or lionising, but to engage in hard work. I hope your sympathies will con tinue to go forth to that country, because I see plainly that England will every year become more dependent on that continent for the supply of the raw material of her commerce. (Loud and pro longed applause.) After he had sat down, Dr. LIVINGSTON again rose and said, a question had been put to him— did these tribes employ slave labour ? The tribes in the interior might be said to employ slave labour in this way—when one tribe conquered another it took the people of the conquered tribe into sub jection, and called them their children. Their con dition approached to that of slavery, but there was this difference between it andthe American slavery, that there was no Fugitive Slave Law. (Applause.) They were called children, but their condition was ra`hor that of serfs. Each man had his own land to cultivate, and bis o•,vn family and house, but when his master went forth to war he accompanied him as a servant, and must fight in his defence. The children of the serf, however, became Gale - 51y like the tribe which had conquered their parents. They were initiated by circumcision, and there was no difference between them and the native memb:lrs of the tribe. Every tribe tried to augment their power by adding to their number by means of conquest, but the amount of service the conquered had to ren der was very mai. indeed. They sat down with their masters, and were ne ley on an equality with them, and. if not kindly treated they. ran away, and the tribe to which they went generally received then with great kindness, and they became "children" there. Approaching the Portuguese settlements, however, they found :lavery more perfectly deve lopt-d. People there were bought and sold as slaves, which they were not in the central country. His men never saw chains until they approached the Portuguese settlements. They seemed to regard the cha'ned nun there as mere beasts or things, and that they could not be men from the way they wer,.. enslaved. Dr. Livingston withdrew amid loud cheering, and the meeting separ4ted. LIVE MEN DBOWATSD IN THE RIBBLE, .NEAR LYTHAM. PRESTON, TUESDAY MORNING. Last night information was received atthe county police-office in this town that a fatal boat accident had taken place on the river Ribble, about 2 miles from Lytham and 14 miles from this town, by which, it is believed, no fewer than five lives have been lost. It seems that on Saturday, about two o'clock in the afternoon, five men named John Murray, a tackler, residing in Peel-street ' Richd. Forshaw, William 'Willa°, weaver ; J o h n Holden; weaver.; and another man, whose name was not ascertained, left the Old Quay, Preston, with the intention of sailing to Lytham. Lighthouse, in a boat called their Royal Consort, belonging to John Murray, and walkiug thence to Blackpool. The party reached their destination the same night and remained in Blackpool until about noon on Sunday, when they started the return trip. Some hours afterwards the boat was seen passing along near the beach at Lytham, making its way for the mouth of the Ribble, with the sails fully set ; but at er this nabbing further was either seen of boat or its ill fated crow. Not returning to Preston on Sunday night, as fixed upon, the wives and families of the missing became greatly excited, and waited in in tense anxiety uutil yesterday morning, when no tidings having been heard of any of them, an expe dition party went down the Ribble in search of them. When this pa r ty had arr i ve d a b ou t 2 m il es beyond Lytham, the boat was discovered ashore on the hors e bank, with the sail hanging over one ef its • fou B n l d '-e w s. itl Ze t b oa t was searched, but nothing was in the larg,, ,sal I but, wr a pp e d or rather entangled lyingi within a few inches from the boat, there was' quite stiff and cold und the body of J o h n H o ld en , now was then removed t o Ly tham, where it the awaiting a coroner's in quiry.stre strenuous aearneirstsiienugs arel s i was then made along and A further Ise at the entrance of the river for but, despite the moat bodies,the other exploring party, not a vesti ge or even their clothing, coul n d y b of r further search is to be made bay' An A bodies, y. An inquest ',will be held at Lytham to - ntlit by th© c BOTANIC REIPDT FOIVINDIGESTIoN.--Th e attention of our readers is requested to a n adv ertisement in our paper headed A Fact for Phyaiologists," in which th e Nottingham Medical Reform Society propose to semi free to all applicants the Bo tanic Remedy for Indigestion, Bilious and Liver Complaints, lately discovered by Professor Webster, cf Philadelphia. RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE. RAILWAYS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM,. The - reportofCaptain D. Galion, R.E., to the Lords of the Committee of Privy Council for Trade and Foreign Plantations, of the proceedings of the department relating to railways for the year 1856, states that 59 railway bills were passed in the ses sion of 1856, authorising 322 miles of railway, the capital being 5,784,426/. Of the 59 Acts 38 were for the construction of 214 miles of railway in Eng land and Wales, 106 miles in Scotland, and about two mi'ea in Ireland. The number of level cross ings authorised was 93. Twenty-two of the Acts authorised companies to enter into working and traffic arrangements with other companies, subject to the approval of the shareholders and of the Board of Trade. The total length of railway authorised by Parliament doin to the end of 1856 amounted to 14,668 miles ; but of this 1,495 miles ' have been authorised to be abandoned, leaving 13,163 miles for which Parliamentary powers have not been repealed ; of these 8,635 miles were open for traffic at the end of 1856, including 355 miles opened during that year, and 4,538 miles remain to be opened—namely, 3,316 miles in England and Wales, 452 in Scotland, and 770 in Ireland. He does not think it probable.that 2,532 miles of those lines will over be made, the powers for the compul sory purchase of land having been allowed to ex pire without having been exercise]. The total amount of money authorised to be raised by rail way companies by shares and loans to the end of 1856 amounted to 377,767,9071., of which 308,775,8941. had been raised, leaving 68,992,013'. to be raised. Of the 8,718 miles open to traffic on the 31st of December, 1856, 6,737 miles were narrow gauge, 679 miles broad gauge, 254 miles mixed, and 1,048 miles Irish gauge. The length of single line in the United Kingdom at the end of 1856 was 1,562 miles constructed on the nar row gauge, 240 miles on the broad gauge, 72 miles on the mixed gauge, and 637 miles on the Irish gauge, making together 2,511 miles of single line. It has become a very general practice for railways which are subsidiary to the lines of existing railway companies, and which have been constructed by in dependent companies, to be worked by the existing larger company. This mode of working is advan tageous to both parties, and generally to the public, because these agreements create for the time that identity of interest which is created by an amalga mation, while at the same time the existence of the local company provides for the interests of the dis trict being better cared for than it would probably be if the small lines were entirely merged in the larger company. The length of line reported to be in course of construction on 30th June, 1855, was 963 miles ; of these about 208 miles were opened before 31st Dec., 1855. The number of persons employed on 30th June upon the railways in course of construction amounted to 36,473, being oa the average 37.87 per mile. The length of line open for traffic in the United Kingdom on 30th June, 1856, was 8,506 miles, and the number of persons employed thereon amounted to 102,117 persons, or 12 per mile. With regard to the traffic, the total number of passengers conveyed on the railways in 1856 amounted to 129,347,562, against 118,595,135 con veyed. in 1855, the number conveyed per mile of railway open being 15,213 in 1856, against 14,503 in 1855. The receipts from passengers amounted to 10,153,7451. in 1856, against 9,525,205/. in 1855 the receipts per mile being 1,1941. in 1856 and 1,1611. in 1855. From the figures given in the appendix, it appears that from 1852 to 1856 the first-cla , s pas senger fares in England have been diminished, and the receipts per passenger have also decreased, while the receipts per mile have increase]. As regards the second-class traffic in England, the fares have been slightly increased, and the receiptsper mile have not varied much. In the third-class traffic, which in cludes a large amount of excursion traffic, the average fares were diminished, and the receipts per mile largely increased. In Scotland the fares of first-class passengers have been diminished, and the receipts per mile have increased ; as regards the second-class traffic, the average fare has been in- creased ; the actual receipts are about the same as in 1852, while the receipts per mile have diwinisbed; the average fare for third-class passengers has been increased, and the receipts per mile have also in creased. In Ireland the average fare per mile and the receipts from each class of passengers have increased, but the receipts per mile, with the excep tion of the first class, have diminished. The receipts from goods, cattle, minerals, parcels, (Sic., in 1856, amounted to 13,011,7481., against 11,982,3941. in 1851, which represents 1,5301. per mile in 1856, compared with 1,4651. per mile in 1855. The total receipts from goods, cattle, minerals, parcels, &c., may be divided as follows—viz., 7,685,3791. was for the conveyance of 23,823,931 tons of merchan &se, 4,585,9911. was for the conveyance of 40,938,675 tons of minerals, 517,7861. for the conveyance of 10,450,175 head of live stock, and 1,222,6281. for the conveyance of parcels, &o. The tables in the appendix show that while in 1849 the proportion of the passenger traffic to the goods traffic was 53 to 47, in 1856 the proportion of the passenger traffic to the goods traffic is as 44 to 56. The total receipts from all sources of traffic have amounted in England and Wales to 19,728,3111., or 3,1201. per mile, in 1856, against 18,363,8691., or 2,9781. iu 1855; in Scotland to 2,319,2171., or 2,0221. per mile, in 1856, against 2,144,3981., or 2,033/. per mile in 1855 ; and in Ireland. to 1,117,9651., or 1,092/. per mile, in 1836, against 999,8321., or I,uol. per mile, in 1855. The aggre gate receipts from all sources of traffic for the whole kingdom having been 23,165,493 e, or 2,7241. per mile in 1856, against 21,507,5991., or 2,6291. per mile, in 1855. It would appear that the average work ing expenses of railway companies, per mile of rail way open, have increased in England and Wales from 1,332/. per mile in 1854 to 1,5311. in 1856 ; in Scotland, from 9611, in 1854 to 9701. in 1856 ; but that in Ireland they have decreased from 4651. in 1854 to 4271. in 1856. The proportion which the working expenses have borne to the receipts has been 49 per cent, in England and Wales as compared with 48 per cent. iu 1855 ; 47 per cent. in Scotland as compared with 49 per cent. in 1855 ; and 39 per cent. in Ireland as compared with 41 per cent. in 1855.; the general average being 47 per cent. upon the gross receipts as compared with 48 par cent. in 1855. The expenditure appears to be divided under the s veral heads as follows—viz., maintenance of way, 15 per cent. ; locomotive ex pensel, including repairs of rolling stock, 39 per cent. ; traffic charges, 26 per cent. ; miscellaneous, including police_and watchmen, compens stion, &c., 13 per cent. ; rates and Government duty, 7 per cent. With regard to the financial position of rail ways, the report states that the total amount of capital raised for ,the construction of railways on the 31st of December, 1856, amounted to 3)8,775,8941., which represents an expenditure of 35,4591. per mile of railway open. In making this estimate it must be recollected that the lines re ported to be in course of construction amount in length to about one-ninth of the whole length com pleted and under construction, and that some por tion of the cost per mile belongs to those lines. But it is worthy of notice that although the cost of rail ways in the united kingdom has averaged 35,4591. per mile—viz.; 40,2881. in England, 27,7591. in Scotland, and 14,8081. in Ireland, the average cost of the independent lines of railway for which the Acts hive been obtained since 1848; and which are new opened for traffic, has only amounted to 9,5681. per mile ; of these railways, those open in England have averaged 12,3731. per mile ; those opened in Scotland have averaged 5,408/. per mile, and those opened in Ireland is 6,7161. per mile. Of the total amount of mora3y raised 77,359,4191. has been raised by loans, 57,057,1711. by preference shares, and the remainder—viz., 174,359,304% by ordinary share capital. The preferential and loan capital invested in railways is 43 per cent. of the whole capital, and the interest which has to be paid upon the preferential and ;loan capital averages 5.08 per cent. ; the net receipts- on railways give an average interest on the whole capital in vested of nearly 4 per cent., but the heavy prefer ential character of the charges reduces the interest on Vie capitol to 3.12 per cent. It also appears that the receipts of railway companies have in creased steadily, although slowly, every year. The large amount of preferential capital has prevented a proportionate increase in the dividends on the ordinary share capital ; but the steady increase in the net receipts in a greater ratio than the increase of the capital invested is evidence of sound progress. The stability of :railway property depends chiefly upOn a careful management. Without entering into this question, wich is one of great difficulty, owing to the magnitude of the several undertakings, the extent of territory they occupy, and the con flicting interests to which they are subjected, Capt. Galton calls their Lordships' attention to the fact, that while in 1855 a case occurred in which the ac counts of a railway company were audited in so lax a manner as to have admitted of a considerable amount of peculation in many branches of the service, in 1856 an important company suffered great loss in consequence of the defective System or audit having permitted the forgeries of an entpleye to escape unob3erved for a length of time. ne states that frauds thtis committed entail serious loeses upon shareholders, and that the shar eholdus will be continually liable to frauds of this nature until a more eereful syStem of audit, and one incle penT(ll;rte of those directly concerned in the management of the railways, be gen rally , adopted, and until a direct responsibility be placed on those t'' ei report concludes beau amal c i a a u s ses °f Passengers killedend • • and Ireland from b e b n y t s is ho e w on ii fi lg de tt proportion injured in Great Britain compared with the number beyond their own control to h a 1 so b carried . ..in [the: several years from 1852 to 1586 inclusive. In 1852 the proportion per million pmsengais conveyed wus 011 killed and 4.20 in jured; in 1853, 0.35 killed and 2.80 injured ; in 1854, 0 . 10 killed and 2.27 injured ; in 1855, o'oB killed and 2.70 injured ; and in 1856 the proportion per million passengers conveyed was 0 . 07 killed and 2.18 injured. It thus appears that only one person in 16, 184,049 who travelled has been killed, and one in 458,370 who travelled has been injured from causes beyond their own control ; and that the degree of safety with which passengers have been conveyed on railways is great..r than on any year since 1851. OLD .ROCIIESTER BRIDGE. ROCHESTER, TUESDAY. A series of grand explosions took place this after noon at the old Rochester-bridge, for the purpose of'dernolishing tho remaining portions of that huge structure, the handsome bridge which now spans the Medway having been fur some time open to the public. The idea of employing the troops of the Royal Engineers in the removal of the old bridge originated with Col. H. Sandham, the director of the Royal Engineers' establishment at Chatham, who considered it would be unwise to allow such a rare opportunity to pass for the men of the Royal Sappers and Miners to take part in the destruction of the works, espe cially as the Royal Engineers had been so successful in the siege operations for destroying the great docks at Sebastopol. On the proposal being made to the authorities permission was at once accorded, and for nearly 12 months past the Royal Engineers have been engaged in sapping and destroying 'various portions of the ancient structure —the works beinl - carried on under the superinten dance of Capt. W. H. Noble, R.E., an officer of great intelligence and experience. The old bridge, which has been built nearly five ceaturies, originally consisted of 10 large Arches resting on 9 piers and two abutments ; the Royal Engineers have already succeeded in destroying five arches, three piers, and the abutments ; but, owing to the immense strength and solidity of the struc- ture, the operations have necessarily been carried on slowly. Six piers, five arches, and nine " star lings " remained to be destroyed, and nearly the whole of these were successfully blown to pieces this afternoon in the presence of the Earl of Romney, the wardens and assistants of Rochester-bridge, Lieut.-Colonel Sir C. W. Pasley, K. C. B. , besides a large number 9f officers of the Royal Engineers and the Royal Artillery, the whole of the opera tions being under the superintendence of Colonel H. Sandham, assisted by Major F. C. Hassard, Royal Engineers. The operations commenced this afternoon by the destruction of the lower portion of No. 4 arch from the Rochester side, which was thrown down by means of two charges of lodged in one of the voussoirs o each haunch of the arch, and two charges lodged in the voussoirs next the key stone. A charge of 301 b. of gunpowder placed ' under the soffit of the keystone of the upper added portions of the arch was next exploded, the effect of which was to throw down the whole of that por tion of the arch acted upon. The troops next pro ceeded to destroy the third arch ilia similar manner. Nine charges of 41b. each were placed in the vous soirs of the haunch, and also nine of 11b. each in the voussoirs next the keystone of the old portion of the arch before the bridge was widened. These charges were fired simultaneously by means of the voltaic battery, the result being that the arches were destroyed, and the masonry of which they were composed entirely detached. The finest ex plosions of the day, however were reserved for the latter part of the operations, when three of the massive piers were blown down by means of several charges of gunpowder, weighing in the aggregate about /,0001b. In order to facilitate the operation, the Sappers and Miners had previously excavated a shaft in each of the piece to he destroyed, which was sunk to a depth of about 30 feet. Each of the shafts was about four feet square, and at the base projected a number of galleries, in which were de posited the large quantity of gunpowder required for the explosions. In the third pier, which was the first blown up, 400 lb. weight of gunpowder was leid in two charges, each containing 2001 b. The galleries were then rmly closed by means of " tamping." The second pier had likewise 4001 b. of gunpowder placed in the galleries, also in two charges, and the first pier 2061 b. At the sound of the bugle the charges in the third pier were ignited by means of the voltaic battery, worked by Capt. 11. Y. D. Seot, Royal Engineers. The effects of the ex plosions were most complete, the large mass of earth and masonry, containing, it was computed, about 20,000 cubic feet, being lifted up from its founda tion and scattered into fragments, retaining not a vestige of its original form. The . second pier, after a short delay in fixing the wires, was destroyed in the same manner, the shock of the explosions being felt at considerable distance, the ground being sen: sibly shaken as if from the effects of a distant earth quake • the river also being considerably agitated. The first: pier, which contained as large a mass of stones and earth as the other two, was the last de stroyed, several of the huge stones of which it was composed being burled to some distance, The whole of the operations were highly success ful, and notwithstanding the immense number of spectators present, not a single accident occurred. of the Royal i n n o g t tehnega°gPeedraitnirhs a e ex b p o l d os y ions, were employed Engi neers,Da in forming abridge of rafts with General Blanchard's pontoons across the Medway, some distance above the oil bridge. The river at that spot is very wide, which prevented the bridge being extended from shore to s'iore. It was, however, carr i e d ou t a con siderable distance into the river, and when com pleted the whole of the troops, together with a large body of spectators, took up their p6sition upon it for the purpose of witnessing the operations at the oil bridge. The Royal Sappers and Miners will continue their operations at the bridge until the whole of that structure is entirely removad, PREACH SISTERS OF CHARITY IN The Courrier de DlOOl l 4 gives the following ac count of the dangers incurred by several French lay nuns in India during the late disturbances s e... " The religious establishment of Jesus-et-Ma is at Fourviere had several of its sisterhoed impreelled at Meerut, Delhi, Sealcote, and Agra by the Indian insurrection. It is only by the het mad that intel ligence has been received respectine them in letters written to their superior, which show that a por tion of them, at least, heve mlpsd. All these holy women were at the head of schools for young girls, English and native. Those who were at Meerut suc ceeded in escaping through the conflict, murders, and conflagration with a part of their pupils, some English ladies, and about 50 males, officers and civilians, to a valley in the mountains of Thibet, where they are, it appears, in tolerable security, for the party being well armed, is strong enough to defend against the insurgents the defile leading to their asylum. The flightfrom Sealcote was marked by most dramatic incidents. The evening before the rising, some of the natives, through gratitude for the attention and kindness which the sisters had always shown to their children, came secretly to inform them they would do well to leave the place as promptly as possible with their pupils, as the insurrection. was to commence the next morning at break of day, and the insurgents had resolved to hill every European. The sisters at once procured cats, and loaded them with their property and with their youngest pupils, whose weakness would have retarded their precipitate flight. Then, profiting by the shades of night, they left the town for a fort some leagues distant, where they hoped to find refuge. Unfortunately, whether it was that the warning given them was too late, or that the fugitives had not hurried on with sufficient rapidity, or, that the natives had ad winced the moment of the insurrection, the sisters were overtaken when about half-way by a troop of the insurgents, who, on finding their convent aban doned, had pursued them. The poor sisters, on seeing this horde of miscreants approaching, aban donut their cars and baggage in the middle ©f the road to be pillaged, and hurried away to take re fuge in an isolated honse which stood near. But their pursuers soon murdered in presence of the poor sisters and the children several Eaglish per sons,- women and men, who had also hurried to the home for safety. They then rushed at the sisters, and, with horrible imprecations, threatened to make them and their pupils share the same f tte, if they did not at ones declare where their property ' was to b 3 found. The unfortunate women protested that they had nothing in the world but what they had left in the cars on the high road, and that they Willingly gave up that property. As, however, other pillagers had already carne insurgentsi carre off w l was peedious from the cars, house were about to execute their threat of ki l li n g whatever e thever every huritan being in the building, when a vo ice .ierl out that the pilblic treasure La I been f ound They then rushed from the house to obtain their share in the booty, and the siste rs, without losing it Moiseduti placed the youngest b child d ren on their shoulders, t t r id f taking the others ti;e hand, proceeded as rapidly they could to wards the fort, which they at last reached, an . d ob tained a shelter in the midst of other fugitives of every age and condition. It is impossible to praise t w highly the devotedness of there poor women, h o risked without hesitation. i their own live So save those of the children confided to th e ir cere:" COMPETITIVE FXAMINATION. Horace tells us that when fools fly from error they rush into the opposite extreme. This fault is not, however, confined to fools. The tendency to pass from ono extreme to another is very COITVIIOD, and we are not without ourapprehensions that it is now operating in tho instance of examinations for ap pointments. The usage up to a very late date was nomination without any guarantee for, or even in quiry into qualifications. The candidate for the public service was employed first and tried of ; er wards ; and, unreasonable as the system undoub tedly was, it did not work S 3 ill as might I , e sup po.,ed, the proportion of the incompeteA not hav ing been considerable ; while, on the other hand, many men of first-rate ability have always been found in the Government offices. Nevertheless,-it was uncloubredly highly desirable to take measures • for the exclusion of the incapable, and for that end the test of examination was wisely adopted. The question is, however, how fsr this test can ad vantageously be carried. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir George C. Lewis, takes, in our opinion, the true view of the question, in de precating a high standard. He said—L )ok to the points and paces of the steed, but do nut rest the choice of a coach-horse on the issue of a race. And for this simple reacon of good sense, that we do not want racers in 11%i-floss. The tendency is, how ever, ail to racing under the specious name of c)rn petitive examination. The public apple pie is to be made solely of quinces, the plum-pudding of plums only. Such is, indeed, the common rush from one extreme to another ; from the utter neg lect of qualifications to the strained standard. The fault is, no doubt, on the right side, but still it would be well to be on that side, short of the fault the consequences of which may be graver than are suTected. Lord Grey has stated some very wise objections to introduce competitive examination generally into the army, and they apply with hardly less force to the civil service I have a very strong opinion of the impolicy of intro ducing the system of competitive examination. Ido not think that any examination can test the qualities which aro most important. With regard to the can didates for employments either in the army or in the civil service of the country, what are of moat importance are the moral qualities of men, not their mere acquire ments. You test nothing but the acquirements of a man by examination ; and what you want in an officer far more than any specific amount of acquirements is, that he should possess certain moral qualities, such ag cou- rage, high spirit, the feelings of a gentleman, energy, judgment, and the power of thinking and acting for himself. These things cannot be tested in the slightest degree by examination, and it is very possible that by a competitive examination you may interfere with a man's acquiring those qualities; because I believe there is nothing more certain than that by over-education, and by the system of cramming a young man, you weaken the pawers of the mind, and that those who have been over-forced by education in their early years turn out less practically useful in after life than men_who have been educated in a more natural manner. I find in a very in teresting work published by Sir B. Br die, that he ex presses in a very strong manner his opinion that over forcing the youthful miud is extremely injurious to its vi gour in after life; and I am told that In France this incon venience is already found, that so many of the employ ments both in the army and the civil service sf the state are given by competitive examination, that there is a tendency in the different schools to vie with each other in the amount of knowledge which, within a limited time, they can force into the heads of their pupils ; that each school wishes to have the largest possible number of those prizes, and, therefore, it increases from year to year the amount of exertion and labour that it re quires from its pupils ; and the consequence is, in the . . _ opinion of eminent men in France, a very serious in crease of brain disease among the young, and also that those people who have exoeiled in the examination turn oat, not uncommonly, very inefficient in af;or life. And I see even in this evident , that an opinion has been given by some distinguished officers, that many men who have passed a very brilliant examination at Sand hurst turn out less efficient staff-officers afterwards than those who have passed perhaps a very inferior examina tion. Ido not think that by that system you test the quali , ies that you really require. A greater mistake cannot be committed than that of making talent the all in all, the one thing needful. Qualities, or what we sum up in the word cha racter, are of more worth than talent without them. What is it that is now making our Countrymen and countrywomen in India the admiration of the whole world 1 The qualities Lord Grey has recited, which nothing but the trials of a mighty exigency could call into action —inexhaustible energy, endurance, self-reliance, indomitable resolution. It is not the brain but the heart of our countrymen which is working so heroically in this stupendous struggle. The general fitness for action which has bean proved by the Indian mutiny, is most especially remarkable, and it is more than doubtful whether this most important aptitude could be improved by any scholastic culture. The probability is, that it would rather be impaired. The tendency of competitive examination raust always be to a standard more and more raised. There can, be no " thus far and no farther." If one candidate crams up to a certain point to the satisfaction of examiners, another will cram beyond him, and another and another beyond, without end. No one contends that this encou ragement to cramming is good, but it is said to be at least proof of an industry which will be avail able for the public service. It is proof of no such thing. It is no proof of the disposition for indus try, no proof of the habit of application. It proves nothing more than what may be done for a desired object, which is no sooner attained than, like the scaffolding erected to build a house, the means become lumber, and the motive to exertion ceases. We need not say there are exceptions, but gene rally the work of cramming produces a disgust of all labour and its objects, and as soon as the prize is secured there is a relapse to idleness, or as great an approach to it as is permissible. But suppose, for the moment, that competitive examination would really secure distinction and preference, not to the highly crammed, but to the highly gifted, is it certain that first-rate talent is always most useful and desirable in the public service ? First rate talent there should be, but should all be first rate ? We deny it. Every branch of the public administration is like a carpenter's chest, in which there are tools of different shapes, • sizes, and edge, suited to different uses. We do not want a box-ftrl of chisels, or a box-ful of saws, or a box ful of gimlets, or brad-awls. Sometimes the occa sion is 'for 'sharp, sometimes for a blunt instru rnent, and the mallet has its Place of utility as well as the most- finely-edged tool. As the work is of different sorts, so should be the workmen, and if competitive examination should finally fill our offices with men of one caste, no matter how high in talent it msy he, it will produce a great practical evil, for they will be servants above much, if not most of the necessary work. We have a great, a sincere respect for the gen- tlemen charged with the superintendence of the examinations, but nevertheless we are approheu sive that there is a tendency to requiring too much, doubtless to keep ahead of the corresponding ten dency to cramming. We have heard of cer tain questions with amazement—questions which a man, young or old, should not be expected to answer, and his attempting or pretending to answer which should stamp him as not knowing what he was about. But if a candidate were asked to square a circle, ho would not venture to plead im possibility, and questions hardly less absurd have elicited responses to match, completely satisfying the examiners. We have herd of historical com parisons challenged, the subjects of which have had about as much in common as a circle and a square; what is it but befooling a youth to the top of his bent to invite him to strain out an absurd and im possible parallel ? The whole thing is overdone, and will be more overdone before the correction will be applied to it through the discovery by the public that it has taken a specious name for a use ful substance. —Examiner. [ADVE TSSEMENT.]— SIGHT AND HEARI.E6 SPECTACLES POWERFUL TELESCOPES OPERA, RICE, AXD PERSPECTIVE GLasses.—S. and B. Solomon, opticians, 39, Albemarle street, Piccadilly. Observe —opposite the York Hotel, W By her Majesty's Royal Letters Patent for valuable and ex traordinary improvements in the most powerful and brilliant T e l esc opes, Camp, Race - course, Opera, and Perspective Glasses, to know the distances. These Telescopes possess such extraordinary power that some, three and a-half inches, with an extra eyepiece will show distinctly Jupiter's moons, Saturn's ring, and the double stars ; with th e same t e l escope can be seen a person's countenance three-and-a-half miles distant and an object from 16 to 20 miles. For the waist coat-pocket, and are of larger, and all sizes, with increasing powers accordingly. The Royal Exhibition, 1851. —A valu able, newly-invented, very small, powerful, Waistcoat-pocket Gl as s, the size of a walnut, by which a person can be seen and known one and a-half mile distant. They answer every pur pose on the Race-course and at the Opera-houses. Country scenery and ships are clearly seen at 12 to 14 miles. They are invaluable for shooting, deer-stalking, yachting, to sportsmen, gentlemen, gamekeepers, and tourists. Opera, Camp, Perspective, and Race-course Glasses, with wonderful powers.—lnvaluable preserving Spectacle Lenses of the greatest transparent power. The great advantage derived from this invention is, that vision impaired becomes pre served and strengthened. and very aged persona aro enabled to employ their sight at the most minute occupation—can see with those lentes of a much less magnifying power—and they do not require the frequent changes to the dan gerous effects of further powerful assistance. Persons can be suited at the mos , remote part of the world by send ing one of the glades out at 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.—New DiSCOB O Vy.—The Organic Vibrator, an extraordi• aril) , powerful, se-all, newly-invented instrument for deatnoss, entirely different from all others, surpassing anything of the kind that has been, or probably can, be produced. Being of the same colour as the skin, is not perceptible. It enables deaf persons to hear distinctly at churchand at public assemblies ; the unpleasant sensation of singing noises in the ears entirely remov, d, and it affords all the assistance that possibly could be desired.-39. iharlo•stroot i Ticealilly.—Opposite the York ITotol,'W. .HEALTH OF LONDON DURING VIE WEEK. (From the Report of the Registrar-General.) After the summer heat, and when the conditions that attend it, and that are so fatal to children, are to some extent removed, London begins to enjoy a period of health in which the mortality is usually lowsrthan at any other time of the year except the months of May and June. In conformity with this rule the deaths, which were previously above 1,000, awl in July rose above 1,200, fell in the week that ended on Saturday (Sept. 19), to 946. It is further to be observed that, though diarrhoe% continues to exhibit more than its ordinary degree of prevalence, the health of the population generally appears to be better than it usually is in the third week of Sep tember, for, if the weekly deaths from cholera at two epidemic seasons be withdrawn from the calcu lation, it. will be found that nearly 200 persons sur vived last week, who should have died if the ave rage rate of mortality, as derived from correspond ing weeks in 10 previous years, had prevailed. The number of children born last week exceeded that of persons of all ages who died by 776. The fatal cases of diarrhma now decline more rapidly, as will be seen from the numbers returned during the last five weeks, which were :-215, 198, 181, 144, and, last week, 111. Only three deaths, two of which were those of children, are referred to cholera ; eight to dysentery. Smallpox was fatal to only two children ; measles to 19, of whom 13 died in the central and east districts ; scarlatina to 39, of whom 26 died in the same districts. The deaths from typhus and common fever are 53. Nineteen persons died of cancer, six of hernia, two of diabetes, 10 women from diseases incidental to childbearing, one of whom, a young woman of 18, died from puerperal convulsions, in consequence of excessive joy ; a girl of two years died from mumps, a housepaintsr from painter's colic, a girl who had lived ten years with spina-bifida, one person from carbuncle, three from delirium tremens, one from intemperance. Two widows died at the ages respec tively of 91 and 92 years, the oldest parsons in the return of the week. Last week the births of 883 boys and 839 girls, in all 1,722 children, were registered in Lorrion. In the ten corresponding weeks in the years 1847- 56 the average number was 1,445. At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mean height of the barometer in the week was 30.041 in. The mean daily reading was above 30 in. on the last five days. The greatest barometric pressure was 30.24 in. on Saturday. The mean temperature of the week was 62.1 dog., which is 5.6 deg. above the average of the same week in 43 years, as deter mined by Mr. Glaisher. The mean temperature was above the average on every day of the week, and on Weduesday .n 4 Thursday the excess was about, 10 deg. Oa the latter day the highest point of the thermometer in 'the shade was attained— viz., 801 deg. ; the lowest point was 48.9 deg., and was obtained on Saturday. The whole range of the week was therefore 31.8 deg. The mean dew point temperature was 57.9 deg., and the difference between this and the mean air tempera ture was 4.2 deg. Oa Thursday the thermo meter in the sun rose tor 104.8 deg. The wind wars nearly . always in the south-west till Fl May after noon, when it changed to north-east. There was rain to the depth of 0.25 in. on Monday ; none on any other day. MORTALITY IN THE METROPOLIS NUMBER OF DEATHS FROM ALL CLAUSES REGISTEBED IN THE WEEK ENDING SATURDAY, SEPT. 19 Zymotic Diseases Diseases of Uncertain Seat Tubercular Diseases Diseases of the Brain, Nerves and Senses 9l Diseases of the Heart and Blood-vessels 2O Diseases of the Lungs and other Organs of Respiration lO3 Diseases of the Stomach, Liver, and other Organs of Digestion - 59 Diseases of the Kidneys, &c. Childbirth, Diseases of the Uterus, &c. .. 11 Diseases of the Joints, Bones, and Muscles ......... 3 Diseases of the Skin, &c. Malformations 8 Premature Birth and Debility 26 Atrophy Old Age sudden .. 4 Violence, Privation, Cold, and Intemperance 27 Causes not specified DEATHS nom ALL CAUSES 946 Population Deaths in corm- Deaths Enumerated. sponding week in the 1851. - of 1856. Week West Districts North Districts 490,396 Central Districts 393,256 East Districts 485,522 216 South Districts 616,635 ...... 326 --- 229 Totals 2,362,23.6 1,064 BIRTHS IN THE WEEK. Males Females.. Total 946 From the London Gazette of Last Night. BOARD OF TRADE, WHITEHALL SEPT 22. The Right Honourable the Lords of the' Committee of Privy Council for Trade and Plantations have received, through the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, a copy •f a Despatch from her Majesty's Acting Consul at Madrid, enclosing copies of Spanish Royal Orders altering, as fol lows, the duties upon the importation into Spain of pota toes and sago, starch, sago in grain, of No. 1126, and In dia-rubber cloths : Per quintal. Reals. c. Potato and sago starch Sago in grain, of No. 1,126, imported under foreign flag Do., imported under national flag 2 10 Indian Rubber cloths of silk, wool, or cotton, imported under foreign flag, 43 per cent, ad val. Do., imparted under national flag, 40 per cent. ad val. COMMISSION SIGNED BY THE QUEEN. 2d Royal Lanark Militia—Lieutenant John Akin Dyer, fl-om the sth Royal Elthorne Militia, to be Paymaster. )MMISSIONS SIGNED BY LORD-LIEUTENANTS, Stewartry of Kirkcudbright—Erskine Douglas Sandford, Esq., to be Deputy-Lieutenant. The Gallowtty Rifles—The Hon. Charles Murray Hay Forbes, late Lieutenant of the 95th Regiment, to be Cap. taiii, vice Barry, resigned. sth, or Royal Eithorne Light Infantry Regiment of Middlesex Militia —The Commission of Ensign Jenings is cancelled from the Bth September instant. NOTICE TO MARINERS. IRELAND -WEST COAST. Arran Islands' Lights. The port of Dublin Corporation hereby give notice that two new lighthouses have been erected on the Arran Islands, off the west coast of the county of Galway ' from which lights sill be exhibited during the night of the let of December, 1857, and thenceforth will be lighted every night from sunset to sunrise. Specification given of the position and appearance of the Lights, by Mr. Halpin, Superintendent of Lighthouses. Arran Islands North Lighthouse is built on Rock De and, - the outermost of the chain, in lat. 53 deg. 8 min. 55 sec. N. and long. 9 deg. 51 min. 30 sec. west of Greenwich, bearing from Slyne Head South Light, S. b E I E., dis tant 203 nautical miles ; from Skird Rocks, S. b E., dis t int 81 miles; from Loophead, N.E. by N., distant 36 miles. This light will be a revolving light, of the natural ap pearance, giving a bright flash once in every three minutes, and will bo visible from seaward between the bearings of W.N.W., round by the westward to N.W. by N. The illuminating apparatus is catadioptrio of the first order, its focal point 115 feet over the mean level of the sea, and in clear weather the light should be visible at a distance of 16 miles. The tower is circular, of gray stone colour, 101 feet in height from base to submit ; the top below the lantern sash sill be painted red, also two horizontal belts will be coloured red, on the tower. A rran Islands South Lighthouse is erected on the south western point of Inisheer, the most southern of the islands in lat. 53 deg. 2 min. 40 sec. N., and long. 9 deg. 31 min. 30 sec. W., it bears flora Blackhead, W. 6 S. distant Ili miles ; from Finnis Rock, (of S.E. point of Inisheer), W. b N i N., distant 11 miles; from Loophead, N.E. bE. distant 33 miles. This light will be a fixed light, visible from seaward between the bearings of S.E. S., round by the southward to W. by S. and having its focal plane 110 feet over the mean level of the sea, should be seen in clear weather within a distance of 15 miles. The illuminating apparatus is catadioptric of the first order. A strip or sector of red light will be shown in the direction of the Finnie Rock— in all other directions the light will be of the natural hp- earance. The tower is circular, of gray stone colour below the projecting gallery, and is 112 feet in height from its base to the top of the dome. From and after the date of exhibition of the new lights, the old light heretofore on the summit of Inish more, or the Great Island, will be discontinued, and the lantern and top of the old lighthouse tower will be re moved. [Bearings are Magnetic, Var. (at the Arran Islands in 1857) 27i deg. W.] By order, W. LEES, Secretary. Ballast-office, Dublin, Aug. 27, 1857. BANKRUPTS. James Saunders, miller, Thurlton, to surrender, Oot. 2, at eleven, and Nov. 4, at two, atthe Courtof Bankruptcy. Stansfeld, official assiomee ; Aldridge and Bromley, Gray's inn ; Copeman and Sons, Norfolk. Henry Whittell, boot and shoemaker, Leamington Priors. Warwickshire, Oct. 9, at ten, and Oct. 22, at half past eleven, at the Birmingham District Court, Christie, official assignee, Birmingham ; Poole, Kenilworth ; Hodg son and Allen, Birmingham. William Conyer and Joseph Conyer , shoddy dealers, Dewsbury, Oct. 9 and 30, at eleven, at the Leeds Distritt Court. Young, official assignee, Leeds; Scholes and Son, Dewsbury ; Bond and Barwick, Le eds. David John Allen, draper, Carmarthen, Oct. 5, and Nov. 3, at eleven, at the Bristol District Court. Acrama , official assignee, Bristol; Sale Alderman- Worthington, and Ship. man, Manchester; Leman and'Humphrevs, Bristol. Thomas Blabcr ironmonger, High-street, Pop lar, Oct. 2at half-past twelve, and Oct. 27 at one, at the half - p ast Court of Bar_kruptcy. Lee, official assigns©, Alderman bury ; Moss , Moorgate-street. Henry Arnold awl Henry John Arnold, merchant, Uttoxeter, Staffordshire, Oct. 5 and 26, at twelve, at the Birmingham District Comb. Whitmore, official assignee, Birmingham ; Welby an d pr Ut toxeter; James, Birmingham. 883 839 STATE OF TRADE. MANCHESTER, SEPT. 22. We have had a quieter market for.yarns, and after six weeks' activity the pause, so far as cops and warps are, concerned, has been rather marked this morning. There is no quotable change in prices, but spinners are rather easier to deal with, and are not askisig the extreme prices of this day week. The easier feeling applies also to pincops ;and warps for Germany and bundle yarns for Russia, but in these the demand is quite as good as ever, and the close of the market for Russia in about three weeks from this renders buyers rather about early de liveries. With the exception of some orders for China, in the bettor class of 40-inch shirtinge, there is a quieter market for clothe. Prices are nominally the same as before, but buyers are induced to withheld their °Here, believing that there are symptoms of a drop in the price of cotton, and consequently in the cost of yarn; both for home consumption and s'pppine, which render it desir able to wait. The cotton market has been flatter for some days past, and the accounts from America seem to indicate with pretty great certainty that the new crop to one which must sooner or later have an influence u pon the present high rates. But be that as it may, this opinion is exercising considerable influence with buyers of cloth, and they are consequently keeping back their orders. Messrs. John Sl-Agg and Co. report : "Since Tuesday last the demand for nearly all kinds of goods has fallen off considerably, and we have had a very quiet market, without change in prices. Almost the only exception to the above has been in 40-inch shirtings, 71b. and upwards, for which there has been since Friday last a good demand, and a fair amount of business bas been done in them at full prices." LEEDS, SEPT. 22. The cloth trade of this district continues rather dull, and all parties are apparently exercising the greatest caution. There was not a large attendance at the cloth halls this morning, and the transactions, which were priricipally confined to seasonable materials, were only upon a limited scale. HUDDERSFIELD, Sm. 22. A fair business was transacted in the cloth-ball this morning, and the warehouses are doing a tolerably steady trade. A good number of buyers from London and other places are in the town. The arrival of the Cclom bia is reported to have caused some improvement. For steel mixtures and low goods generally there are nunie rons inquiries. In wool prices are sustained, but the demand is limited. Country rtlarkets. LIVERPOOL-SETT. 22. To-day we had a limited attendance, and small choice of samples, and consequently a moderate extent of trans actions. To effect sales of foreign wheat a decline of about 4d per 701bs bad to be submitted to from the rates of Tuesday last, whilst Irish new, which was in abundant supply, could not be moved, though offers of 6d to 8d por bushel reduction would have been entertained. Flonr did not follow wheat, and was only about 6d per sack and brl. lower. Indian corn supported late rates, with a fair de mand. Oats and oatmeal slow of sale. Barley, beans, and peas unchanged, with tolerable sale. HULL- SEPT. 22. We had a-small supply of farmers' wheat to-day, which met free sale at about 2s decline on last Tuesday's rates. Foreign of fine quality sells at about is drop. Anything inferior unsaleable. Oats scarce. Beans and peas a ready sale. The supplies of linseed less liberal and held firmly Cakes in good demand. First qualities of Hull-made held firmly at W. per ton; and 5s talOs higher for delivery UP to December. Wheat, English red, 54s to 58s ; white 60s to 635; oats . , 29s to 32s ; barley, 40s to 46s ; Indian corn,. 39 s ; linseed cakes, Hull, 11/ Os to / —s Od; ditto, foreign, 8/ 15s to 10/ 108 ; rape cakes, 61 5s Od to 6110 d ; guano, Fl, to 154 ; bones, 140 a Od.; floor, —s to —s; tares, —a to —s. LEEDS-SEPT. 22. We have fair supplies of wheat : the late fine weather .and dull report from Mark-lane cause us to hare a very slow trade, and best qualities of wheat have declined 1 0 from Friday's rates • damp qualities still lower. Barley in rather better supply, and late prices supported. Beal l° and other articles unchanged. NEWCASTLE-SEAT. 22. , We have a large supply of wheat offering this morn• ing, and the market rules slow, at 2s per qr. decline from last Saturday. Foreign unsalhable. Flour 2s per sank lower. Oats in small supply, and bring full prices• Barley unaltered. COURSE OF EXCH.6-NGE.-YESTERDAY. ALMSterdani•••••••••••• 11 IS Gibraltar •••• •• •..... •• -"` Ditto, three months .. 11 19 1 4 Leghorn .............. 30 Botterdam ............ 11 1.3:1 Genoa Antworp •• •• •• ——••.• 25 40 Milan •• •• •• •• •• •• •••• Brussels .• •• •• •• a• •••• 25 44 Venice•• •• •• •••• •• •• --- aamburs , h ._. .• .• •• •• •• • • 13 Eq4 Naples •• •• ..• . Altona •• •• •• •• •• e • •• •• •• Palermo •••• •• •• ..12 4 7 2 31 Paris .• •• •• ••*••••• •• HI 25 25 i Messina •• • ••• 127 N, Do. three months . • • 25 63% Lisbon .. 624 lliarseidas •• •.. •••• •• •11 25 62% Oporto •• •• •• •• •• •••• •a 53 Botirdeanz •••• •• ••• • •• •• Kw Janeiro ..... .•• .... -' Frankfort-on- Haute .... 119 Buenos Ayres•••• • • .... Berlin •• •• •• a•• •• •••• •• New York,6o days'aight -- Vienna.......... • • .... 10 35 Philadelphia - Trieste • ....... •• •• .... 10 36 PRICES OP suratop, PER OZ: Petersburg ............ 36% Foreign Gold in Bars £3 17 9 Madrid ............... 49% Portugal Gold Cobs •• 0 0 0 Cadiz ......... ••We•4 •• 5 0 Mexican Dollars .... 0- 5 1 Barcelona .• .. .• •• •• ••• • • New Dollars ...... 0 0 0 Seville. ••••• .• e• LOCAL SHARE MARKBT.9. LIVERPOOL, SXPT. 22. STOOK EXCHANGE.—The transactions in this market in the leading stocks are dull, and prices have declined• —London and N( rth- Westerns, 96—Caledonian, 42 if —Great Western of Canada, 2©i--Midland, soi 80- - London and North Western, Eighths, new, cashire and Yorkshire, 968--North Eastern, Berwick, 23--Eastern Counties, 11.8.9.—Di:doh Rhenish, 3i dis_ Grand Trunk of Canada, 114—Ditto 6 per Cent. Debs, —South Eastern, 19 s d—Sheffields, 40i 4—North British, 12a—Great Western, 54g. MANCHESTER, SEPT. 22. STOCK EXCIIANGE.—The market was inactive to-dsh and prices rather easier. Eastern Counties, 11 7- 16— t —Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincoln, 40a—Ditto, new 3Z per cent., 65—Dovers, 19 13-16—Great Luxembourg, 7,7; —East Lancashire, 93 i —Grand Trunk of C a nada, 114 —London and North Western s , 978 Midl an d, 80,1 Leeds, 96—Preston and Wire, 43I—Great Western 0I Canada, new, d. BIRMINGHAM, SEPT. 22. STOCK EXCHANGE. —The market to-day has again been lower. London and North Western, 96B—Ditto, 8 06 18s 9d die. -Great Western, Birmingham Pref., at 91 -- Bristol and Birminghams at 132. DEMAND FOB FEMALE CONVICTS.—The following re solution was adopted at a meeting at Fremantle, held ofa May 23d :—" That from the great disproportion of the sexes in Western Australia, causing doubtless not onli much present immorality amongst the penal population ., but, it allowed to exist, entailing still greater and Opel horrors in future years, it is the opinion of this meeting, after seven years' experience of the working of wall transportation, that the bbjects of general industry won't' be promoted, and the growth of good morals through" out the colony be advanced, should a limited importation of selected female convicts annually take place." l l ' memorial based upon this resolution was presented to the Governor.—West Australian Gazette. AN ATLAS. GRATIS WITH TIIE DISPATCH— On and after SO' day, Oct. 4th, 1857, each copy of the Dispatch will be ec" companied with a Coloured Map, a Chart, or the Plan of a Principal Town,so as to turnish to each subscriber, gratis, a mostuomprehensive, complete, and useful Atlas. The size o s the engravings will be that of one page of the newspaper, maps and two plans, in each year, will be of double the El° ~_)° It is hoped, in the co urse o f a s h ort time that the Dispatc h Atlas will contain m ore names an d positions of places than any other publication of the kind. The counties will b° given separately, and, when large, divided. Within the first four months, India will to more accurately and co mpletell delineated, in a series of nine maps,than in any Brit iSh Atlas. The names of the artists will be the best guara , nts e t for perfect accuracy. The engravings will b e i n th e highest style of art, involving a cost of many thousands of potuiclo• Mechanics'lnstitutes, Educational Establishments, Hotels, Reading-rooms, and Coffee-houses will, in p, ssessing th ° Dispatch Atlas, be supplied with a daily want. The Dispatch Atlas will be forwared gratis, with the paper at the usu al , price —sd. per copy, or 6d. stamped. Th e Friday Eveuiuli Edition may be received in the most distant parts of the kingdom on. Saturday morning.—Office, 139, Fleet-stree t, London. BIRTHS. 07 A sol. On the 22d inst., at 14, Finsbury-place south, the wife of Charles Hogg, F.R.C.S. On the 21st inst., at Ellerslie, Great Malvern, the N'life of Henry Allsopp, Esq. or A AMMER; On the 20th inst., at Kenfield House, Edinburgh, the wife of John Xf`Neill, Esq., of Ardnacross. On the 22d inst.; at Streatham, the wife,of Charles At Fearon, Esq. MARRIED, Ocuat St. Ann's, Kew-gree n , G eorge Y. isv insi.,f Aldermanbury, city , and N e lson square, Blaekfriars - road, to Selina, third dau g ht er o f JO' Smith, Esq., om th b e io rt E h ig. City road. On the 19th inst., at St. Mary's, N ew i ng t on, Th o mas Bi `Leroth, Esq., of Killynother, co. D own, t o R u th, the youngest daughter of Mr. John Hulbut, of Newingtoef Surrey. DIED.' On the 21st inst., at Westminster, 31n. Elizabet h Farrer, aged 91. On the 20th inst., at Albion-street, Hyde-park, Jane' Lady Anderson, widow of th e l a t e Si r J ames E. Ander son, M. U., aged 62. On the 20th inst., Richard Prest, Esq., of Manchester' aged 80. On the 19th inst., Charles Martyr, Esq., of 12, iv CaLren‘ dish-r,sd, St. J o h n ' s - woo d , and late of Cannon-street 4 aged 66, On die 19th inst., at Stoke Talmage, Oxfordshire, the Rev. C. L. Kerby, rector, and vicar of Bampton, in same county, aged 93, On the 11th init., at 2, Cottage-road, Harrow-reel' Lieutenant-Colonel J. Harris, late of H.M.'s 24th Y °° aged 75. LONDON: Printed and Published by 211IIRDO YOUNGI of No. 112, Strand, Printer, at The Sun Office, NO , 112, Strand, in the Precinct of the S avo y, in the cosn i i of Middlesex, Wednesday, September 23, 1867.1 IR ANI Lon, ' l ag Money NPosit. PI aPPlication. Gc R i, September ° tng the wick. Fa GRE CH , 4 2 On SA gtOn !Rat ;YeYrnouth or Yeovil, 1 V lINI ESTIBSCII I the Lord M and all its 1 branches ; 1 ltational Pr The Comi precisely. Mansion- R 0) „ A Vacant the Board, MEETING WEDNESI the purpose Any men Dose any of Pity with dressed to t Previous to 15, Moor Menik , erF their polici4 ti OR t with Coat, 2/. 1 Waistcoats r ,l l H ,-111 CRI Sept his numero grand clos *hen the N *noes with! acting undi Urges the c 4 enee that led suppor *omen wh tuder elm Dersonal o I'uted to re restival of ARG l ' a st patro zealous ser Priem Is am establiB wished art that be b ANroNT L Valentino, the City of merit, rew b zthg the l/f honour orchestra den ever THE knd Irelai °et' ber no With Inch delivering toned Poi of the ear its.._ Their L 'era are o thereof el tot contra A separ Kier for Pc tended to Porsone Iserlder fa The Be folio trs—' 0 ?Januar 18b8 ; am or any gr fermi by seven day Parties 4,1 1 of V 6 nlY will wens of tl .• A form reVised e Been at itaulbo w Bristol, I t4 rY to t eortductlx Agent lb] No Tel or 100131]. No tor tre a t y , n , the purtm or an age result of to him al Bills it Stores w eater of Every end bear der for I also be d U VALID: tft , re ea! Milk ; a, het?s, acr the systc have rec to, and a Stamp i le7,ent-1 at2ls. receipt ( A' treatme diZestiol ignoran, lay it is Deptf gosix rlym Ilault Ana free TI effects quenc, lion s ( tlons. 20 , \\ and G The to ren Its pry seatia titles Its ur Or foi Th 4 litic r the v skin, tonsil Its a SYstei 01 111 P 1 *nal ands er soy Floor F W. I Rtree ITard Oledi TIIE atta from, to 31 ring, rem toys