The Sun. — London, England, 1871-01-14 00:00:00

MONETARY REPORTS.-YESTERDAY. The tone of the Stock markets to-day has been de cidedly firm, and although the transactions have not been on an extensive scale, a general advance has taken place in the quotations. In English railway stocks the tran sactions have been to a fair extent, and whilst Great Northern A has fallen 3, Caledonian, South Eastern, North Eastern, Great Eastern, and North Western have risen in value. Foreign bonds have com manded a fair share of attention, and further purchases have resulted in an advance in Egyptian Italian, Spanish, and Turkish. Consols have been firm at 923, 921 for delivery, and 92 9-16ths, 92 11-16ths for the February account. Reduced and New Three per Cents, 923, 921, Bank Stock, 235, 237 ; Exchequer Bills, 10s., 15s. prem. ; India Five per Cents, 110, 1103 ; and India Bonds, 225., 275. prem. The market for English railway stocks has been firm. Caledonian and South Eastern have risen 3, Great Eastern and North Eastern 3, and North Western 3, but Great Northern A has fallen 3. Metropolitan, 633, 641; Caledonian, 873, 881; Brighton, 423, 431; South Eastern, 76, 763 ; Great Northern A, 1361, 1363 ; Great Eastern, 41, 413 ; North Eastern, 147, 1473 ; Midland, 1293, 130 ; North Western, 1293, 1303; and Great Western, 72f, 73. Very little business has been doing in Indian Railway Stocks. Carnatic, 1003 ; East Indian, 1091, 3 ; Great Indian Peninsular, 1061, 3 ; Madras, 1033 ; and Scinde, 1013, 3. Canadian shares have been fiat. For foreign shares the inquiry has been limited. Lemberg Czerno witz, 153, 16. Foreign Bonds have been purchased to a fair extent, at a further enhancement. Portuguese have risen 3, Egyp. tain (1868) 1, Italian (1861) 1, Spanish 3, Turkish Five per Cents. and ditto (1869)3. Italian (1861) are quoted at 541, 543 ; Egyptian (1868), 783, 79 ; Spanish, 293, 30 ; Turkish Five per Cents., 42, 42} ex div. ; and ditto (1869), 513, 511. French Scrip is quoted at 21 to 2 dis., and German 1/ to 13 prem. In Bank shares the transactions have been restricted. Imperial Ottoman, 3.11 to ; Joint Stock, 353 to 361; London and Westminster, 633 ; Oriental, 413 ; and Union of London, 38 to 381. Telegraph shares have been quiet. British India Exten sion, 63, 61; Falmouths, 9 ; Great Northern, 11i ; Con struction, 243. The demand for miscellaneous securities has been inac tive. Fore-street Warehouse, 22, 1 ; General Credit and Discount, 7i, 3 ; and National Discount, 113, 3. The sum of £285,000 has been withdrawn from the Bank to-day. As regards the Exchanges, bills have continued in de mand, and the rates have been lower. At a meeting of the East and West India Dock Com pany, a dividend of 3 per cent. for the half-year, making 6 per cent. for the year, was declared. A meeting has been held of the Fore-street Warehouse Company, and a dividend of £1 per share has been de clared. Messrs. Barclay Brothers have invited applications for 15,000 deferred shares of £lO each, of the Bedford and Northampton Railway, at the price of £B2los. per cent., or £Blss. with allowance for prepayment. The discount market has been heavily supplied with capital. Only a moderate demand for accommodation has been experienced, and three months' paper has been taken at 2, 23 per cent. The directors of the London and Provincial Marine Insurance Company have resolved to recommend a divi dend for the half-year at the rate of I 0 per cent per annum, and to carry a further sum of £15,000 to the re serve fund, which will then stand at £60,000. At the corresponding date of last year the dividend was of the same amount, and the sum added to reserve was £20,000. The directors of the British and Foreign Marine Insur ance Company (Limited), Liverpool, have resolved to recommend a dividend for the half-year of 4s. per share, being at the rate of 10 per cent. per annum, together with a bonus of 6s. per share, making, with the interim divi dend paid in July last of 4s. per share, a distribution of 173 per cent. for the year, carrying £35,000 to the reserve fund. Messrs. Pixley, Abell, Langley, and Blake thus report on the state of the bullion market :—Gold : We have no arrivals to report this week, and as the demand for abroad still exists, withdrawals have taken place from the Bank to the extent of about £138,000; these will pro bably continue, as we do not look for gold to any extent until about the 29th inst., when the Overland Mail is due with £550,000 on English account. Silver continues in good demand for the Continent, but prices remain without alteration, as the amounts to hand to be dealt with are but small. Mexican dollars—The Ceylon has taken £21,710 to China. The demand for that quarter is, however, exceptional, and arrivals are taken for refining purposes. The traffic return of the Bristol and Exeter Railway shews a decrease of £534 on the corrospondinq week of last year. FOREIGN EXCHANGES.—Amsterdam, short date, 11 17, 11 18 ; ditto, three months' date, 11191, 12 00 ; Rotter dam, ditto, 11191, 12 00 ; Antwerp, ditto, 25 30, 25 35 ; Paris, short date, ditto, three months' date, nominal ; Marseilles, ditto, 25 40, 25 50 ; Hamburgh, ditto, 13 10, 1310/ ; Frankfort-on-the-Maine, ditto, 120, 1201 ; Vienna, ditto, 12 70, 12 72} ; Trieste, ditto, 12 70, 12 721 ; St. Petersburgh ditto, 292, 291 ; Madrid, ditto, 49, 491- ; Cadiz, ditto, 49i, 492 ; Leghorn, Genoa, Naples, and Palermo, ditto, 26 85, 26 90 ; Lisbon , 90 days' date , 521, 5 2 ; Oporto, ditto, 52f, 521. LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE.—FamAy. LATEST PRICES.-AFTER OFFICIAL HOURS. The prices under the lines indicate the business done. GOVERNMENT SECURITIES. Three per Cent Consols 921 921 DoApril &Oct 1883-85.. 112 1 13 921, 1 1121 Do for Account 9 1011. 2 21, 1 Three per Centßeduoed 9 2 / 92 1 921, 1, 2 Brazilian. 1865. 5 P 0 .... 93 94 931, 1 New 3pe Cent 92 i. L if Do Rail Deben 7p a .. 9911009 Exchequer Bills, March 10 15pin 991 14s pm Italian. 18e5, 5 p o ...... Do, June lO 15pm Peruvian, 1865 . 5 p a .. • . 90 91 14s p. 11 Bank Stock m India 5 per Cents 317, 2 1101 1 a Russian, 1862. 5 p a.. • • 84 85 India Bonds B4l 27s pm Do Nicolas 4 p o Can 6 poJan&Julyll77-84 10311048 67, 8, 8 1041 Spanish Do March & Sept. 104 106 & 30, 291, 308, 29/, Do 5p a Jan July ~ 971 981 Turkish. 1851. 6p a 7B 80 988. 71, 8 791 Do Inscribed Stock .. 96 98 Do, 1805. 5p a 971 421, 1 1 x d Dom of Can 5p c 1903 .. 9 8 1 0 0 Do, 1865 0 . et Ceylon 6p a May and p e U. 5.5-20 Bonds. 6 p 1682 901 90 N o vember 1878 lO6 108 908, 90, 1, a Mauritius 6p c Jan and Do do 1885 811 891 July 1873 lO2 104 891, 891 New S Wales 5 p clB7l-76 lOO 101 Do 10-40 B. its. spo WU 88188] New Zealand 6 p c 1 891 lO6 108 85 11 , l i, i Do 5Pa Do 5p a Consolida ted 10011011 Illinois Central Shares .. 10911110{ 101.1 t Dec tlan 110 xd 1891 109 111 c and Li onN Do 6 o " a Mar Do June & DeclB9l 108 110 Mor ti tgage BdsVR Con Vict 6po Jan &July 1891 113 114 . RAILWAYS. 90 Do 2nd do Scrip .... 83 85 B r istol and Exeter 92 D 83 881 o Ist "ref 80nd5.... 571 589 Caledonian 881, 8 Grand Trunk of Canada Great Eastern 411, 1,1, 11, 1 401, 40 Great Northern ........ 125 126 Do 3rd Prat Stock .„ 30 32 126, 52 Grand Trunk of Caunda DOA 136 137 4th Prof Stock 1361 Great Indian Peu g 5 no 106 107 721 73 106, 2, 1 Great Western 721, 3 Great Western of Canada 15 15} Lancashire & Y or kshire 135 116 151. 1 1351, 1 Do Op c Bonds, 1873.. 98 100 Lou. Brigh. and S Coast 421 422 Do 51 do, 1877-8 95 vi 4 4, 21, 1, 1 Do 5 p c pref. issued 80 par loin Lou, Chat, and Dover .. 132 10 Madras guar 5p a 1 I 1032, 1. 1 Lou and North-Western 12921301 N. Railway of Canada, 130/, 30, 291, 301 6p a Ist Pref Bonds Lon and South-Western 92 93 Dude an d Rohilkuud g 93, 21 5 p a Man. Shef. and Lincoln 461 467 &hide, Punjaub, and 6.5. 71, 61 Delhi g uar 5 p c fetetropolitan 64, 1 Bahia and San Francisco Midland .... 12911301 g 7 p c 29 21 130, 29i, 301 Belgian E Junction North 8 341 25ritish North-Eastem Consols 147 1479 Dunaburg and Witepsk 181 1 8 1 147, 4,1, 1 181 South-Eastern 76 761 D u t c h-Rh en i s h 219 221 761. 1 Eastern of France - - 1 Atlantic 761 and St Lawrnce 75 77 Great Luxembourg Bombay; Baroda, and Lemberg lizernowitzgua Central India, g 5 p a.. 103 104 7pa 152 l5l 16 1031 Buff and Lake Huron .. 4 41 Northern of France . . - - Do 51 pc 80nd5.1872- 3-4 79 81 Ottom (Sm y rn a to Aidini 41 51 Cape guar 6p c East Bengal guar 5p a lO3 104 (Limited) guar 7p0.. 15 151 East Indian, g 5 p a 1091, 1 • 21/ Grand Trunk Canada Do Equip Mort Bud 1 15, 1 charge 6p a - - BANKING . COMPANIES. Pd Pd 1 Agra Bank U.l A 25 Alliance IL) 10 Auglo-Austrian 20 Aug_Egyptian - (L) 219 22 15 London 36l Joint-Stock 351 69 . 22, , 51 50 British N American 51 52 20 Lou andWestmnster 631 641 20 Oh of India, Austrlia 13 14 6 1, 4 13e,1 10 Metropolitan Bl 91 25 Char Merc of India 221 239 20 Midland IL) 10 City ...............100 11.1 20 New South Wales .. 24 35 25 Colonial .. ......... 50 52 25 Omtal Ba.ukCorporn 41 42 4 Consolida ted (L .... i liPin 412, 9 5 : 25 Union of Australia. 20 Eng. Scot. and Aus 0 16 17 15 Union of London 20 Imperial iL/ 10 Imperial Ottoman 11, 2, 40 41 37i 381 TO SUN, LONDON, SAT ITIWA , JANUARY 4, 187 PROFESSOR ROGERS ON POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS. On Thursday evening, Professor Rogers delivered an address on the Political Institutio ns of England, at the Co-operative Hall, King-street, Oldham, in connection with the local Liberal Registration Association. Professor Rogers, after referring to the monarchy in England which, he said, indicating to a great extent, something of that social order absolutely necessary for the political and social progress of the people, was, so far as England was coacerned, an admirable example, spoke of monarchies abroad. There it w as a very dif ferent business. In Syria there were those who did not worship God because He conferred upon them so many benefits, but rather worshipped the devil for the opposite reason. Those who worshipped kings in some countries on the Continent seemed to act upon the same principle. Theta could be no doubt that the greatest hideous war was to be traced absolutely and entirely to the ambition of two kings. There was no reason to believe that either the German or the French husbandman or handicraftsman wanted to bother himself for a single instant about Alsace and Lor raine. Two monarchs , surrounped by politicians who had everything to gain out of the loss of their neighbours, had forced the two nations to enter into the awful struggle, and had developed passions which it would take centuries to eradicate, whilst doing their best to turn the fairest portions of the Continent of Europe into a scene over which angels and men wept, and only devils could rejoice at. So far as concerned the legislation of England, the theory of the House of Lords wa s simply preposterous. It was ridiculous to imagine that the legislation of a country should be handed down into the hands of some men simply because their fathers had been in the same position. A great many members of the House of Lords were, so far as their ancestors were concerned, originally ennobled for the very lowest possible vice. And it was to these persons that the making of the laws governing and c ontrolling the existence of people in England was con signed. Although no constitution -monger, he should like to see some men sent into the House of Lords who were selected by the people of the country. He should like to see all men holding the office of privy councillor entitled to a seat in the House of Lords ; and gentlemen who had been honoured with the confidence of their constituencies for periods, say from seven to fourteen years. In that case there would really be a House of Lords ; but in the notis p cmb o r e o e ul irsneeebtvnr country etl intelligentfe as t o vo r form hteh of t hold daitd members to. it was U twAma s ip gau r i e cnih),:f Ho longer. sts htiibe u l rla s o eet e bif Legislature vo f oaHrdsytenhlove edrpoeeu people believedgl h ei that aafi could tt o tg i th i ht ld the to House of Commons was made too much the special r ictr ain e i ges p graf a r ai i e bcv e toyt n hrhy t ea, relievetom i v oa e dl o p d of f r t i ct the e l ar i e x n t t r e a r o e r s d t s i . n a ry It might utp b li e c y o n si of - business put before e but, armies.offo r i tt election a t A l t e e sl r y e w had oada e p r ba e re localmen s parliamentse anidtneighbouringwo vastrstillacand tdyu d on e hvs a aea l d shewn how expeditious, how moral and decorous was the ballot, and he believed that the present Administration would make an attempt to extend voting by ballot to all systems of election in the country. He was further of opinion that one pledge made by the present Government if its existence were continued for any length of time was for the reconsideration of the subject of the redistribution of seats. In the whole history of English Government there had been no Government that had done so much within two years as that of Mr. Gladstone ; and the Con servative party, no doubt, would have given their ears, or a part of them, if they could have accomplished one tenth part of it. There was the Irish land question, for instance—and if English landowners did not consider the clauses of the Act they would be exceedingly stupid, admitting a prodigious principle, the magnitude of which was incalculable, and the significance equally so. Because England possessed a strong Government she had been able to accomplish measures and solve a problem which had agitated the minds of Governments for hundreds of years—the pacification of Ireland. After comparing the military armaments and proportionate expense of England with other countries, Professor Rogers said that it was perfectly clear there was an enormous expense with very unsatisfactory results ; that the army was after all a mere toy for the rich and great to play with. He expressed an earnest hope that when the members of Parliament returned to the House of Commons they would not consent to give a single sixpence of money for the army until a commission had been appointed by Govern ment to inquire into its present condition. Referring in the course of his address to recent speeches made by Lord Derby, he said that - he had been delighted to read them ; and how his lordship could belong to the party to which it was said he had attached himself he could not imagine. If Lord Derby was a member of the Conservative party, he was certainly hold ing with the hare and running with the hounds. Continuing his remarks upon the armament of England, he said he did not believe that there was a peace at any price party in England ; and he for one thought that they were far removed from the time when they should be enabled to abandon what he might call the necessary de fences of the country. He wished to see in every harbour a strong gunboat, armed with the weapons and capable of acting as a floating fort. Mr. Platt. M.P., afterwards addressed the meeting. THE WAIL THE BOMBARDMENT OF PARIS, (BY BALLOON MAIL. -FROM THE SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE " CENTRAL PRESS.") PARIS, 3rd January. Victor Hugo has received a letter frbm Louis Blanc, in which the latter declares that the defence of Paris is no longer a question of patriotism, but of necessity. If the Prussians enter the city all communications with the Provinces will be entirely cut off, but the capi tulation of the capital will not be the end of the war. The defence is, in fact, the great question of the day, and the general opinion is decidedly in favour of an energetic attempt to raise the blockade. There is no lack of courage or resolution, though the people suffer much from the cold and from want of goo 4 food. On New Yeks's Day a distribution of beef and other articles was announced by way of celebrating the popular festival, but the eager expectants after waiting in the cold for hours only ob tained a quarter of a pound of dried beans and two small tablets of chocolate. A council of war has been held to consider the best means of defence. Trochu presided, and the officers commanding the three armies, the Admiral commanding the forts, and the officers commanding the Artillery and the Engineers were present. The perpetual complaints of the want of vigorous action which one hears on all sides cannot be very agreeable to the military authorities. The false news so continually set afloat adds materially to the difficulties of the time. Yesterday the Journal Officiel announced that the report current a few days since of 80,000 French troops being at Creil, was altogether without foundation, and the soldier who made the report is in the hands of justice. The Government has been without news from the provinces since the 14th of December. The Barricade Commission has issued a proclamation on Saturday, calling on every family to provide two earth bags 70 centimetres in length by 35 in width. They will be supplied at 65 centimes for those citizens who do not wish to make them themselves. These sacks, together with paving stones, will cover in a few hours Paris with barricades, or repair breaches. The Barricade Commission declare that it is composed of men determined to defend Paris inch by inch, and to never surrender to the enemy this citadel of right and Republican liberty. Henri Rochfort is President of the Commission. The bombardment still goes on vigorously, and has been especially directed against Forts Nogent and Rosny. Many shells, which burst in the air, were intended for the village of Nogent. Six hundred shells fell yesterday in that fort alone, but no damage was done to the fort, and only one man was slightly wounded. Great vigilance is exercised, as it is certain information is carried to the enemy. It is said that thirty-seven persons had been arrested during the last few days while attempting to convey newspapers to the Prussian lines. This morning a soldier of the Marines, named Welter, was captured by an advanced post when crossing to the enemy. He was tried by court martial and shot immediately afterwards. The m )st stringent orders haye been issued to arrest all persons attempting to pass the lines, and if need be to fire on them should they not stop when first called on to do so. Ova Ism GLOVES.—We are informed by our largest importers of kid gloves that there is really no ground for any rise in the price of these articles on account of the war, as retail dealers sometimes pretend. No gloves are made in Rouen or Orleans, and Grenoble and the district round it, where they are made, has not been interfered with. !Moreover, Austria, Prussia, Saxony, Bohemia, Denmark, and other parts of the Con tinent contribute largely to the demands both of this country and America.—Pall Mall Gazette. THE TRAMWAY COMPANY.—Two men in the employ of the Tramway Company having lately been con victed at one of the metropolitan police courts of over turning a cab. The director and solicitor of the tramway in I question waited on the magistrate to make an explanation. It was contrary to the wishes of the company they said that any vehicle, public or private, should be interfered with by their men, and they had affixed notices to every car, stating that as it had been decided the tramway cars came under the Stage Carriage Act, the drivers and servants of the company must comply with the terms of the Act on pain of dismissal. It was a matter of importance to the company that the real state of the case should be known, and the two men who had been convicted of overturning the cab had been dis charged. The company were anxious to have the tram way cars worked under the Act which provided a whole some check on drivers and Conductors, and any man who infringed it would be liable to instant dismissal. Several magistrates have given their adhesion to the decision that tramway cars came within the meaning of omnibuses and stage carriages. January 4, January 5 SUICIDE BY A GENTLEMAN AT TONBRIDGE. WELLS.—An inquest has teen held at Rusthall, New Town, near Tonbridge Wells, on the body of a gentleman named James Peel Robinson, who was supposed to have committed suicide by poisoning himself. The deceased, who was a retired merchant, and aged fifty-two years, had been for some time past visiting Mrs. J. Bowman, his sister, wife of a gentleman residing at Rusthall. During the past month or two he had been noticed to be in a very low and desponding state, but had not been heard at any time to say anything that would lead any one 'to suppose that he contemplated committing suicide. On Tuesday last he was discovered dead in a shed in the garden, and it was found that he had poisoned himself, apparently with strychnine. Some papers were discovered which had been the covering of a sixpenny packet of Battle's vermin killer, which contained a certain quantity of strychnine. Dr. Johnson, a practitioner of Tonbridge Wells, said he had known the deceased for some time past, and considered he was n suffeng from hypochondria, conseq uent on the state of his health, and an operation he had recently undergone. The jury returned a verdict to the effect that the deceased poisoned himself when in an unsound state of mind. PAWNBROKERS IN BIRMINGHAM. - Strangers visiting Birmingham have occasionally been struck with the comparatively large number of shops to be seen in the principal streets with th e familiar trio of golden balls suspended above the doorway. Whether for good or ill we cannot say—probably something of both—the capital of the Midlands certainly boasts more pawnbroking establish ments in proportion to the population than any other town in the provinces. Birmingham, with a. population of 378,574, has 218 kind-hearted " uncles " ready to assist with loans, on the security of deposited pledges, any num ber of necessitous nephews or nieces who may honour them with their confidence. Liverpool, with a total population of 526,225 persons, has. only 189 pawnshops, and many of our l a rge manufacturing towns—if we ex cept Manchester end Birmingham—have a much smaller proportion of licensed pawnbrokers. It would ssem from an official inquiry recently ordered by a Select Committee of the House of Commons, with a view to legislation affecting the pawnbroking trades, that more than five-sixths of the whole 2,954 licensed pawn brokers in England are resident in cities or boroughs. The reason for this seeming preponderance of pawnbrokers in Birmingham is not far to seek. The business of making advances on pledges to persons of slender means is here pretty much cut up and divided.. whereas in Liverpool and some other principal towns, the(trade is concentrated in fewer hands, with the advantage of more ample capital and larger shops.—Birraingham , Gazette. BREAKFAST.—EPPS'S COCOA.--GRATEFUL AND !(..70M FOUTING.—The very agreeable character of this preparationhas rendered it ageneral favourite. The Civi l Service Gazette re marks :—" By a thorough knowledge of the natural laws which govern the operations of digestion and nutrition, and by a careful application of the fine properties of well-selected cocoa, Mr. Epps has provided our breakfast tables with a delicately flavoured beverage which may save us many heavy doctors' bills. Each packet is labelled—JAMES EPPS & Co., Homoeo pathic Chemists, London. Also, makers of Epps's Caeabine, a very thin evening beverage. —Advt. There was great expectation when the Journa Officiel came out this morning, as it wa,s expected it would contain extracts of the news papers which were -yesterday taken from Prussian prisoners—a grand and welcome prize. However, these expectations were disappointed. The Officiel did not say a word of the matter, but the Gaulois and other papers gave copious extracts, which grew that all France is rising. This has given great encouragement The general feeling is good. Even the Remit publishes an article by M. Delesoluze exhorting the people to calmness and declaring that agitators should they present them selves will find no supporters. Paris is determined to hold out, that is evident, and is well able to do so at present. The elephant of the Jardin d'Acclimation has been killed, and the rhinosceros will probably share the same fate, but this is not on account of lack of food but to avoid the immense daily rations of the animals. The population of Paris, according to returns first made, comprising the refugees, but not calculating the army, the Garde Mobile, or the sailors, is 2,005,709. Great efforts are being made for the relief of the poorer classes. The Mayor of Paris has addressed a letter to the mayors of the twenty arrondisements, informing them that a credit of one hundred thousand francs has been opened for the gratuitous withdrawal of articles in pawn —namely, linen and clothes pledged for sums of ten francs and under, or bedding (mattrasses, sheets, blankets) up to sixteen francs. Care should be taken in the selection of cases, as recent experience has proved that this kind of charitable donation, announced in advance, has been greatly abused. All new merchandise and all cases of pawning which appear to have been the object of trade will be refused. The Government has decreed that a fresh delay of three months shall be accorded to tenants unable r to pay their quarter's rent, due Ist January , and preceding quarters. M. Alphonse de Rothschild has placed tickets for gloves, stockings, waistbelts, petticoats, &c., to the amount of 200,000 francs, at the disposal of the town. The tickets are to be divided among the different arrondissements according to the number of the necessitous poor. An additional provisional credit of 20,000,000 francs is opened for the Minister of the Interior on the extraordi nary budget for 1871 to meet the expenses of the National Guard. It appears to be decided that the 'troops of the line, the Mobile and the National Guard shall fight side by side in groups composed of a battalion of each The men are under orders to march at a moment's notice, and everything is in readiness for a grand attack, which is not expected to take place before the 10th ; but the exact moment will this time be carefully kept secret. It is generally believed that the bombardment, yvhich is still vigorously kept up, is intended to prevent the besieged from hearing the guns of the advancing armies of Chanzy and Faidherbe. • The Prussian projectiles have at last reached the town. Several shells have fallen to-day within the walls of Paris. Two of them burst this afternoon in the cemetery of Mont Parnasse, and some others fell about the same time in the market place of Montrouge. The people, however, are tranquil, and exhibit nothing of the supposed French tendency to panic. More than twelve hundredlthells fell into Fort Nogent yesterday, but no damage of any conse quence was done. This morning the enemy began bom barding the forts of Montrouge, Vanvres, and Issy. His batteries are placed on the heights of Chatillon i but two thousand three hundred metres separate the southern forts from the Prussian batteries. The cannonading throughout the day has been incessant. The new battalions of National Guard are to be mobilised and married and unmarried men from 20 to 45 will be taken. These are for the reserve battalions, which will make about 100,000 men. It cannot be too clearly under stood with regard to the defence that the bombardment is not likely to have any effect on the surrender of Paris. The assertion that Mont Valerien has been silenced is a pure invention and has only created amusement. Mont Valbrien is one of the strongest places in France, and so far from being silenced, it is not worth its while to speak. When the French forts do not fire; the Prussians cry out directly that they are silenced, whereas the fact is that very often the forts do not fire according to pre -arrangement. - Unfortunately the unfavourable accounts of the public health have more foundation. The death-rats is very high, though there is no actual epidemic—except war ! The cold weather has had a good deal to do with the increasing number of deaths, as well as the fatalities of the recent skirmishes. The Prussian batteries are ceaselessly at work but it is surprising how little mischief they do. The southern forts which have been the recipients of a terrible fire, have only had nine killed and 40 wounded. At Auteuil and Point•du-Jour there have been some few casualties in the streets, but their number is not great. January 8. Trochu has issued a proclamation declaring that "The Governor of Paris will not capitulate," in answer to an affiche which was put up by the Reds, denouncing the Government. It is only fair to Pyat, Delescluze, and Ledru Rollin to add that their names were not ap pended to the document. It was intended to have supplemented it by another placard declaring that Favre and Troche, had resigned. This was, of course, with the intention of producing a distur bance, but happily the scheme has altogether failed, and the population are resolute in supporting the Govern ment unflinchingly, though they clamour for action. Some National Guards arrested of their own ac cord some speakers in the clubs, who were trying to get up an outbreak in favour of the Com mune. Four of the signatories of the Red placard have been arrested, but they are regarded with a, mixture of indifference and contempt, which is more satisfactory to the public interests than flattering to their self-esteem. M. Deleschuze, who took no part in the affair, has resigned his post as mayor of the nineteenth arrondissement on account of the commune question. He is still editor of TELEGRAPH COMPANIES. Pd 100 Anglo-American L) 73 75 Pd 6 Great N. China, and 737, 41 Japan Extension.. 87 81 10 Anglo-Meditrn (L) ll6 119 81 1177, 18 5 Indo-European (L).. 10 12 100 Atlantic — 10 Marseilles, Algiers, 100 Do Bpc — and Akita (L) .... 57 6 10 British Australn IL).. 41 41dis 51 10 British Ind Eaten (L). 6 67 10 Mediterrn Ex (L) .. 4 1 , 5 61 27 Pnina and S. Pcfc(L 4 3 dis 10 British Indian Sub- dis marine. (L) 10 China Submarine IL) 51 51 , 11 a 20 Soc Trans France (L) 137 137 Ic Falmouth. Gibraltar, 100 Submarine 237 142 and Malta (LI 9, 1 10 W India lit Panama(L) 41 51 10 Great Northern .... 111 111 111 MISCELLANEOUS SECURITIES Pd Pd Anglo-Austrian Bnd- 30 London Fin Assoc(L) 19 18 lie holders' Certificate 3 5 4 Lon Gen Omnibus .. 21 3 10 BerllnWMerworks(L) 15 151 21, 3 30 Bolckow-Vaughan L) 23 33pm 2 Lou & Prov Marine L) h 1 pin 100 Boston City (U.S. 2 13-16 p c Sterling Loan 93 95 100 Madras 'nig. &Canal 4 Brit k Fgn Maxine L) 4 41 Pin g 5 u cby lud Gov. 100 102 25 Canada Company. 7l 73 101, 1001 72 2 Mauritius Laud IL) I I clus. 10 Ceylon Company L) 32 31dis 5 NatnlDisctComp L) 1) 12 35 City Offices (LI 251241db! 12, 111 20 Colonial (L) 5 Com Union Assurnce 4 41pm Mere Agency iL) • • Ig Pm 10 Crdt Fonc of Eng IL) 2 21 5 N Zealand Loan and 21 Trust (L) 100 Crystal Palace 100 Do Fret 100 Do 6p c Pere Deb lO9 114 IA P and 0 Steam 46 43 271 Ebbw Vale Steel LI.. 91 aldis 47, 61 100 Viceroy of Egypt 7p a 10 Do do New. 1867 3 2 ills Mortgage Loan.... 78 80 50 Rhyniney Iron 781, I.Do New Bl 9 1 100 ii gyp 9 p crroy Loan. 60 Royal Mail Steam guar by Egyp Gov.. 95 97 12 Tel C0n 241 and Main 1 1 24 241 . 1 13 Fore-st Warehouse (L) 81 9pm 2 Themes and Mersey 221, 2 Varine Incur (L • . 31 31 pm 100 F Kri and Colonial Gov Tobacco 6 P o Loan. Trust 6p c Bonds.. 98 100 guar by Italian Gov S 6 88 71 Gen Credt &Disot (Li }die }pm 88 14 Gen Stm Navigation 271 281 5 Trust and Loan Co of 5 3 7 Hooper s Tel Works 2 1 die Upp er Canada .... 8 1 pin 17 Hudson's Bay 8 81 S(J Marine, Lvpool IL 51ton 45 Indrbbr.Gut Per, and 20 Union Steamship (L) 225 Tel Works LI . . 45 1 46 6 UnitedDisCorprn (L Idis par 5 InternlFinan Soci . Lj 11 in 5 Univ Marine Liam (T , 61 7pin 20 It Irrig Can Cavour 31 4 12 Warrar.t Finance.... 9 7 die 100 Do 6p c Bonds. re deemable 1870 . 61 63 MINING SHARE LIST.—JANUARY 13. Messrs. WATSON BROTHERS. Mining Offices., 1, St. Michael's Alley, Cornhill, London. Market moderately active for Taquaril, Grenville, East Gren• ville, Tincroft, Cook's Kitchen, Drakewalls, Marke Valley, Great Vor, Prince of Wales, and East Lovell. Australian United. Chiverton Moor, • Chiverton Valley. Chontales (Gold), Cook's Kitchen, 20, 21 Devon Great Consols, Drakewalls, 245, 26s Dolcoath, Don Pedro North Del Rey, 2), 2) East Caradon, 0,5 f East Lovell, 32. 33 East Pool, 11, 11) East Wheal Grenville, 2), 3 Frontino and Bolivia (Gold), —s.. —s. General Brazilian, Great Laxey. 10, 17) Great Retallack. Great Wheal Vor. 3), 4 llingston Down, Marks Valley. 7,7) New Beldon, I, 1 New Lovell, If. 2 Pacific. Pary's Mountain, Perran Wheal Virgin, 335, 35s Plynlimmon, Prince of Wales, fir os ov e i w d a elreir i irs.3 B , q_ and 4 1tansome United, IL 11 South Condurrow. 4, 41 South Frances, Sweetland Creek, 4f, 41 Tankerville, 131.131 Taquaril (Gold), 525, 54s Tincroft. 50, 52 Trumpet Consols. Van. Van Consols, 11, 11 West Caradou, West Chiverton, 51, 52 West Maria and Fortescu% 11, If West Tankerville, 31, 31 Wheal Agar. If,ll Wheal Crebor, 10s, 15s Wheal Grenville. 3, 4 Wheal Kitty, St. Agnes. 9, 91 Wheal Beton. 24. 26 MARKETS. MARK-LANE. FRIDAY.—The grain trade to-day was again characterised by quietness, although the tone of the market was firm, owing chiefly to the French demand, and partly to the cold weather. There was a larger show of both English and foreign wheat on sale, the condition of which was tolerably good. Sales in all descriptions were effected quietly, but values, in sympathy with flour, were exceedingly firm. There was a large supply of barley on the stands. The demand for both malting and grinding qualities was inactive, and prices of the former were with diffi culty sustained. Malt was dull, but not lower in value. Oats were in abundant supply and limited request, at the rates cur rent on Monday last. Beans and peas being rather scarce were purchased more freely, at extreme quotations. Town and country flour was quiet, but American barrels were in demand, at an advance of from 6d. to ls. per barrel. Arrivals : English and Scotch—Wheat, 790 qrs. ; barley, 1,100 qrs. ; malt, 770 qrs. ; beans, 190 qrs. ; peas, 140 qrs. Foreign—Wheat, 15,210 qrs. ; barley, 9,550 qrs. ; oats, 11,660 qrs.; maize, 14,310 qrs. ; beans, 1,340 qrs. ; and flour, 11,380 barrels. METROPOLITAN MEAT. FRIDAY.—In consequence of the large supplies of meat which were on sale at the market to-day, the trade was depressed, ftnd prices were slightly reduced. Per 81bs. by the carcase: — Inferior beef, 3s. Bd. to 4s. Od.: middling do., 4s. Od. to 4s. Bd.; prime large do., 4s. Bd. to 58. ; prime small do., ss. Od. to ss. 4d. ; veal, ss. Od. to ss. 4d.: inferior mutton, 3s. 4d. to 4s. Od.; middling do., 4s. Od. to 4s. Bd.; prime do., 4s. Bd. to bs. Od. ; large pork, Is. 4d. to 4s. 4d. ; small pork, 48. 8d.,t0 ss. Od. BOROUGH HOP. FRlDAY.—Business in the hop market has been transacted on a more extensive scale. Coloury and medium qualities of our own growth have been disposed of rapidly, at former quotations; whilst inferior grades have attracted rather more attention, and full prices have been realised. Mid and East Kents, £1 15s. to £7 ; Weald of Ken's, £1 155. to RS 10s. ; Sussex, £1 10s. to £3 6s. ; Farnham and country, £3 15s. to £slos. ; and olds, Al to £2los. per cwt. COLONIAL AND FOREIGN PRODUCE. LONDON, FRIDAY. Sugar: Relined good are less inquired after but rates rule firm. Finequalities sell steadily, but common de scriptions are purchased slowly. Demerara crystallised, 40s. to 40s. 6d : Berblee syrup, 31s. to 31s. 6d.; and St. Lucia, 255. to 31s. Madras bought in at 21s. to 205., excepting some bags, which sold at 275.; Madras jaggery, 20s. 6d.; Bengal, at 20s. 6d. to 265.; Java, fine, at 395. Coffee : The market is active, and prices well supported. Tea is in limited request ; rates steady. Cotton : The market is quiet, at id. decline on the week. Oils : The market continues dull, and prices are rather easier. Lin seed, 305., sellers' London ; English brown rapes, 465. 6d. spot, and first four months. Tallow : The market is more active, and prices tend upwards. Y.C. spot, 455. 3d.; January and March, 455. 3d.; last three months, 465. 6d. TRADE REPORTS. MANCHESTER, FRIDAY.—This market continues quiet, and the prices of yarns and goods have undergone very little change since Tuesday. Producers adhere very firmly to their quota tions, and it is only here and there that a weak seller gives way a trifle to induce a sale. But for the very limited demand, prices would likely have advanced here, though in the face of a j falling cotton market and the position of producers, owing to , their engagements and the absence of stock being so strong, 1 that a slightly increased demand alone IS wanting to enable them to obtain an advance. The transactions for the week in yarns have been few and unimportant, ex cept in water twist for China, which has been in good demand. In mule yarns for India only one very ex tensive sale has been heard of here. Home trade qualities are but sparingly dealt in. The demand for cloth has been of a very general character, though no large sales have occurred in any particular descriptions, and generally full rates have been obtained, The market closed quiet, but very steady, with but a small business for the day. The position of both spinners and manufacturers continues to improve, and in most depart ments there is now a margin for profit, which, it is trusted, may long continue. Quotations are unchanged since Tuesday. SOUTH WALES IRON, FRIDAY.—The iron works of this dis trict are tolerably well occupied, principally for home and American account. To some extent, however, operations have been impeded by the severe weather which has prevailed for several weeks, and which has caused great difficulty in the con veyance of raw materials to the furnaces. America and the colonies are expected to prove large customers during the ensuing year, and after the conference substantiated, orders on Russian account are confidently antici pated. Trade witth the Continent cannot be expected to revive as long as the German-Franco war continues. For home purposes a brisk inquiry is expected. In bars and plates no alteration is to be reported. Pigs are being largely produced, and prices continue firm. The condition of the tin-plate trade being done at remainssteam o u a n l a e l t o e , e e rdi. es .A Notb u i t m h p e ruosvueaml n e bu t s however, is noted in French demand. House coals are in good request. CORN MARKETS. LIVERPOOL, FRIDAY.—This market opens firm to-day for wheat, at rather over Tuesday's prices. Flour also in request. Maize saleable at 6d. per quarter more money.—Closing Report. —A fair business was done in wheat at this market to-day, at ld. per cental over Tuesday's rates. Maize had a slow sale, at ls. per qr. advance. WAKEFIELD, FRIDAY.—This market is remarkably quiet to day, and corn millers complain bitterly of the flour trade, and therefore hold over buying wheat, but we cannot quote prices lower than Tuesday. Barley had a slow sale without any alte ration. Beans scarce and dear. • - • • • LINCOLN, FRIDAY.—Trade in all sorts is slow, at last week's prices. Farmers are asking more than late rates, but millers will not concede any advance. LIVERPOOL COTTON MARKET, FRlDAY.—Opening Report.— The market opened quietly to-day, without change. Sales, probably 10,000 bales or 12,000 bales. Closing Report.—Weekly sales, 79,000 bales. Taken by the trade, 65,000 bales. Exports, 5,000 bales. Imports, 95,000 bales. Closing Report : The market closed firm to-day, with more demand and an improved tone, the prices being the turn against the buyers. Sales 12,000 bales, including 3,000 on speculation and export. CLYDE CRUSHED SUGAR, FRIDAY.—There was a small business done at this market to-day at about yesterday's prices. CORK BUTTER MARKET, FRIDAY. —Ordinary firsts, 1465. seconds, 140 s. ; thirds, 121 s. ; fourths, 108 s. ; fifths, 935. ; sixths, 635. 380 firkins in the market. Mild cured ; firsts, 1525. seconds, 1505.; thirds, 1295. Ten firkins in the market. Mr. Robertson's new comedy, " War," is to be brought out at the St. James's on Monday. THE LONDON SCHOOL BOARD.—A. singular arrangement in connection with the voting exists at the London School Board. The chairman votes first, next the vice-chairman, and then the members in alphabetical order. This is certainly an inversion of the ordinary pro cess, generally speaking. A chairman occupies an impar tial position, and only takes part in divisions when it is necessary to give a casting vote. A WELL HUSBANDED BEQUEST.—The British Medical Journal announces the near completion of nego tiations for the apprDpriation of the Brown Bequest for the foundation of an Institute, for Comparative Pathology, in which the diseases of animals will be studied in their relation to those of man, under tlie charge of accomplished experts. In the course of the eighteen years that the Brown legacy . of £15,000 has accumulated it has rolled up an actual capital of £35,000. THE ARREST OF M. PINAED.—The arrest of the ex-Minister Pinard was effected by Garibaldi's principal Lieutenant-Colonel, Bordone, who caught him in flagrant e distributing numbers of Grainer de Cassaguac's Drapeau to the soldiers at Autun. Pinard, finding himself tracked to his house, tried to escape by joining a funeral procession, and, curiously enough, the Imperialist Minister, whose prosecution of the visitors to Bandin's tomb at Mont martre, more than anything else, revived the Republican spirit in France, was himself collared in a ce m etery. Colonel Bordone sent him to Lyons, where he is now in custody, and where he will probably be tried by court martial for endeavouring to provoke mutiny and sedition in the army. He, at any rste, was courage ously working in the service of his old master. the Revell. The members of the Municipal Council in the 20th arrondissement have also resigned, but M. Jules Ferry, Mayor of Paris, has refused to • accept their col lective resignation. They undertook, he says, a task of self sacrifice and difficulty, and he does not see that they have any reason to renounce it. Casualties continue to occur at intervals in the streets, and a young girl of fifteen has been killed in her father's arms by a bursting shell. These painful incidents are happily not common, and the omnibuses go quietly to and fro the ramparts. 'This morning some awkward visitors made their appe tr ance in the garden of the Ladies' Hospital at St. Sacrament. Another shell burst on the pave ment of the RUe St. Jacques just as the people were coming out of the church. Later on, a shell fell in the Jardin du Luxembourg, but in none of these cases was there any serious damage. It is calculated that Nogent has ) received 10,000 shells inside in a day and 20,000 outside ; Vanvres 6,000 inside, and 12,000 outside. In the East the Prussians send daily some 20,000 shells, of which 500 fall inside the enceinte of Paris. These shells are 22 centimetres in diameter, 65 centimetres in height, and weigh 80 kilos. The extreme points they have reached have been the Rue Soufflot, the Rue Vaunean, and the Avenue Breteuil, near the Invalic'tes. The effects 1 produced by these formidable assaila nts have been alto gether disproportioned to their size and to the energy of the Prussian gunners. THE RISING TARIFF. --- Just before Christmas cats commenced to disappear from the shops which ordinarily sold them, and it is sup posed that at the present time nearly the whole of these domestic pets are eaten. Possibly on the principle of killing off the horses that they may not consume the oats, on which we shall soon be constrained to live ourselves, the cats have been sacrificed to conserve our few remaining rats and mice. Dog, however, is still on sale at from 2f. to 3f. the pound, and poultry can be obtained by those who are prepared to pay exorbitant prices for it, such as 100 f. for a turkey, 60f. for a goose, and 25f. for a fowl. Eggs sold wholesale by, auction rather more than a week ago realized a trifle over a franc apiece ; their retail price is a franc and a half, and even at this figure the soundness of the article is not guaranteed. Salt costs a franc and a half per lb., while coffee and sugar have only risen 50 per cent., and jam has not advanced at all in price. Carrots and turnips range from 50 centimes to a franc each ; onions are retailed at the rate of 20f. the gallon, and potatoes at the unheard-of price of 50f. the bushel.—Pall Mall Gazette. THE CHARACTER, OF THE FRENCH ARMY. The Times correspondent at Bordeaux sends some very interesting particulars respecting the composition of the French forces now in the field. His observations seem particularly just and reasonable :—" The indecisive actions which the French are in the habit of claiming as victories are of no avail. Admitting that each army retains at the day's close pretty much the ground it held at its opening, and that the losses on each side are about the same, still the balance is against the French in consequence of the straggling and deserting that ensues. Numbers of soldiers profit by the confusion and darkness to make for the rear. The patriotic fire and chivalrous feeling of honour which have led the Duc de Luynes and so many other gallant French gentlemen to their death in unequal strife do not, unfortunately, equally inflame all classes of the population. That the French,. after nearly the whole of their regular army had been destroyed or led away into captivity, should have defended themselver as they have done, is, indeed, most creditable, and will be recorded by history as a title of honour for the nation; but it is only a portion of them that are really resigned to self-sacrifice and resolved to fight to the death. Numbers of others seek the first opportunity to escape the duties and perils of a soldier's life in war time. These are to be met making for the rear, sometimes in bodies of several hundreds, defiant of discipline and of their officers, and bent only upon escaping from hard ships they find intolerable and from the ter• rible Prussian shells. Probably these very men, had they been properly trained as soldiers, with good officers and a batter organisation, would be steady and intrepid. But what, in reality, are these troops? Bataillons de marehe, depot companies, recruits, fugitives from the earlier disasters of the war, a motley mass with out esyrit de' corps, commanded by officers they do not know, and a very large number of whom were lately themselves serving in the ranks as sergeants or corporals, but, owing to the great dearth of officers, were suddenly elevated to posts of authority for which they have few qualifications. Promotion is rapid in M, Gambetta's armies. The Gazette daily brings long lists of advance ment. Sergeants are made lieutenants, and then speedily advanced to captains. The army, at any rate, is getting democratic enough. In the very last official bul letin nineteen sergeants and a corporal are promoted to ensigncies. Of course, the Minister of War can but use such materials as he has. The dearth of officers is very great. I was told the other day that a subaltern in a foreign service had been admitted into a French Army Corps with the rank of lieutenant-colonel. As to the Free Corps, they seem to be a great failure. A few of them have done their duty manfully, but with the majority enrolment in those corps , seems to have been a mere pretext to avoid real service. A battalion of Paris Franes-Tireurs, perhaps two, and and another corps here and there, have fought well when occasion offered; but most of them keep at a safe distance from the Prussians, and only risk extremely long shots, The straggling bodies of deserters and fugitives are natu rally a source of terror to the p6asant, upon whom they must, in great measure, reckon for subsistence. A surgeon who was travelling in charge of wounded came upon a cottage where he desired to give his patients rest and shelter. But he found it already oceupied by a party of French runaway soldiers, who had taken possession of the place, and positively refused to give it up. Excuse is being found for the'Paris National Guards, who ran away at Cr&ell, on the plea that they had lately been fed exclusively off racehorses ! Three French Garde Mobile officers and eight or nine soldiers deserted to the Germans from Paris the other day. Mobile officers have not been known to desert before. A Paris paper of the 28th, found on Mont Avron, states that 4,700 milch cows were still preserved in the city, but their milk was very poor, and did not suffice for the mul titude of children who had to depend upon it. A night exploration towards Valerien revealed the fact that -the French were sapping down towards St. Cloud, much nearer than was supposed by those " who did not know," and counter approaches will bring the enemies close together. The Times Bordeaux correspondent says : " It seems beyond a doubt that the most ardent wish of a large por tion of the French nation is for peace on whatever terms may be obtained; but then there is also a very large party for war, and these are, of course, the most energetic, and having arms and the Government on their side, they carry the day and keep up the struggle. The Cologne Gazette remarks that whereas in Holland anxiety for national independence, and many other influ ences, have counteracted the feeling of affinity of race, the Flemings sympathize with their German brethrdn in the present crisis. The impulsive Walloons first expressed their sympathies for France, sometimes very, un me asuredly , but the Flemings were not backward in counter demon strations. . . . A correspondent at Amiens, writing on the 28th of. December, says :—" It is fearful work campaigning in this weather, and there is no doubt that very many of those who were wonnded on Friday last, and who were left on the field of battle, died of cold, being literally frozen to death. On the French side of the position, on. Monday morning, none of the dead appeared to have been buried. Many bodies were lying in a little churchyard at the roadside." A letter from Bethel, dated the 17th, says : Prussian authorities have n DW abolished the indirect taxes in the Ardennes, and substituted a poll-tax. Fifty francs must be paid per head, even the younger children being included. There is general complaint at this, and the smallest villages, being unable to pay, are plundered. The Francs-Tireurs do us much harm. They take away our provisions and coal waggons, and make no stand against tke enemy." Many of these FreeshOoters, indeed, are only robbers. A lady, writing from Paris on Christmas Eve, says : "As to food it is daily shrinking from eery one. We wore rationed in rice about the 15th-sd. worth for three —to last three days ; the variety, three herrings or some stock fish lt is now so long since I tasted animal food that I forget the date. You will imagine that I cannot avail myself of the loathsome substitutes which are now quite common, and this fact of itself shews to what a pass the city is brought, though all is done to put a good face on it to the enemy, and rightly ; but the suf fering is great, and I see many proofs of it." A letter from Bomorautin (Loire-et-Cher) in the Liberte states that an Englishman, a friend of the writer, who has long possessed a chateau in the neighbourhood, hung out the British flag from his windows ; but that notwith standing a detachment of Uhlans, commanded by a Colonel Rosenberg, quartered themselves upon him, ate and drank all they could get in his house, did much wilful damage, and stole many articles of value. On leaving a Prussian officer said :—" These English fancy that any " The .r-.• 4 dirty rag, with their national colours, is enough to pro tect them. We will just chew them the difference." The name of the Englishman, however, is not given, nor is the story authenticated. There are multitudes of French refugees in different countries. They are said to swarm in England and Bel gium, and a Marseilles paper quotes a letter from a person just returned from Italy, which says that in that country there are not less than 200,000 Frenchmen who have fled from France to avoid military service, and who inhabit, for the most part, Florence, Milan, Turin, and Naples. GENERAL TROCHU AND THE FRENCH ARMY.—In the year 1867 General Trochu published a work called " The French Army," which had six editions. Some extracts from this shew that the General entertained an unfavout able opinion of the manner in which the operations of the French Army were conducted. He says that great ex aggeration was displayed in the accounts given relative to to the enthusiasm which prevailed in the armies of the great Revolution. The true statements which have since appeared shew that Dumouriez's schemes were constantly interfered with by the inefficiency of his troops. Generol Trochu was indignant at the course pursued by the French Governments in making the general officers responsible for any mischance that might befall them on the field of battle. He declared that he must protest against such unjust and injudicious acts, which lowered the dignity of the army in the sight of the people. By their attempt to conceal the weakness of the public powers they only expose it in reality and shew how incapable they are of fulfilling their duty and arranging a system of war. The General sincerely pitied these unfortunate men, be cause, having experienced the chances of war on the field of battle, he knew by what hazards it was governed anal ,enced. -------- CHARACTERISTICS OF FRENCH AND GERMAN SHELLS.—Dr. Russell submits for the consideration of our war authorities some observations he has made respecting the effect of the French and German missiles in action. The first of these is the very small power of the shells, either French or Prussian, against the regular masonry, and even the strong earthworks of the forts, and against the revetments of the batteries. This want of power is due to the immediate explosion of the shell. The percussion fuse striking against the stone or frozen earth, is fired of once, and rapid as the velocity of the shell may be, before it has well penetrated the bursting charge has been ignited, and the rear of the shell is blown out, the rest not doing much damage. This result of course cannot be fully observed when fired against iron plates, which are sup posed to bury the shell. Next is the question of the ex plosion of the shell itself, and of the nature of its curve, on which the action of the percussion fuses must depend. There are places where these shells lie thickly, and if you make a careful examination of the ground you will see they all without exception lie on the side—not one is to be found with its nose stuck in the ground or the pointed end buried. When that nose strikes the shell bursts. But then it appears seldom or never to do so, even from the highest elevations. Two burst close at St. Germain the other day which I ob served, but they were fired at very high angles, almost like mortar shells, and one plunged into a sloping bank, which accounted for the bursting. There is no ricochet—scarcely any, at all events —from these shells—elongated projectiles of which the body is per fectly cylindrical, the point being like a candle extin guisher placed on the end of the cylinder. They strike the ground, give a sort of hop, step, and jump, and topple over in all sorts of angles, sometimes turning right over, so that the point lies towards the pin that fire it. I am now writing of French guns only, but I presume the Prussian percussion shells do not materially differ. The loss of power is very great— a long shell which does burst is a very harmless projectile, and not compar able to. an old fashioned round shot, if you could only give the latter the range. Again, when the elon gated shells do burst they are not so destruc tive as the round shells, because of the defective capacity for the charge. It is observed that the large French shells of 1801 b., which contain, it is said, 41b. of Powder, break into about six pieces -1, the rear ;2, the nose and end of the cylinder ; 3 and 4, two large pieces from the sides ; 5 and 6, two smaller pieces from the sides—all jagged, and each quite sufficient to cause serious bodily detriment to the strongest constitution. The Prus sians, they say, 'get at least eight, and at most 12 6elats 'rom a similar projectile. THE S.S. CITY OF BROOKLYN. The purser of the Inman Royal Mail screw-steamer City of Brooklyn (which is coming to Liverpool under canvass, having dropped her propeller when 500 miles out from New York), landed at Grimsby from the Bremen screw-steamer Hansa on Thursday morning, along with four cabin passengers from the City of Brooklyn ; 16 cabin and 70 steerage passengers remained w i t h the City of Brooklyn. The purser says nothing of the Mails, which are believed to have been left on board. The Hansa had westerly winds throughout her voyage, so that the City of Brooklyn may be expected in a few days. THE LEDBURY AFFILIATION CASE.—At the Herefordshire Quarter Sessions the appeal by the Rev. J. Jackson, vicar of Ledbury, against an order of affiliation which had been made upon him by the justices of Ledbury, came on for decision, after having been twice postponed to await the decision of the case in the Arches' Court recently brought to a close. Counsel having been heard on both sides, the order of affiliation was quashed, with meta against the defendant Parry. MINISTERIAL CHANGES.--it is a matter of regret that Mr. Shaw-Lefevre has resigned the Secretaryship of the Board of Trade in favour of the Home Department. The ability and energy of this gentleman have been prominently displayed in the conduct of the Marine Department, and his assistance would have been emi nently useful to the new President, who cannot be supposed to know very much of matters nautical. It is feared that under present circumstances there can be no hope of a Merchant Shipping Bill next session, and that the sanitary reform still required in our mercantile marine will loom in the distant future for some time to come.- - Lancet. THE LATE ADEXANDER MUNRo.—Among our younger sculptors the death of Mr. Alexander Munro, already recorded, will leave a sensible blank. He had no rival in the graceful and fanciful treatment of childre i ? His portrait busts of women were distinguished for their refined and delicate sentiment. Above all, he was pre eminently successful in his portraits in high and low rehef—perhaps the most difficult style in the range of sculpture. But though his special power lay in the range of the delicate and graceful , and found the most palpable and readiest expression in the portraiture or idealisation of children a nd women, it would be very unfair to forget Mr. Munro 5 many contributions to sculpture of a graver and m anh kind. His statues of Hippocrates, Galileo , Davy, an) James Watt in the Oxford Museum are remarkable for picturesqueness, concentration, and character, thougb the scale of the figures rendered necessary by the con ditions of the building is unfavourable to effect. 1 115 finest work of a monumental kind—and a very grav e ' dignified, and impressive work it is—is his colossal standing statue of James Watt , at Birmiughaia, a work of art in every way worthy of the subject, and deserving to rank with Chantrey's farnea s monumental figure. After the James Watt, Mr. Munro's tW° most important public statues are the Queen Mary, ii°v, in Westminster Hall, in which the difficulties of a a n d, tume singularly ill adapted to sculpture a re boldly aa': we think, successfully encountered, and a graceful fral l f tain nymph in marble, erected by the late Marquis °, Lansdowne, in Berkeley-square. In his personal I e T: . tions Mr. Munro was one of the mos t gentle, affto donate, and unselfish beings that ever live d . Few art? . ever numbered a larger, more various , o r more deepil, attached circle of friends, by whom his memory will alwaYZ be cherished as among the purest , s weetest, and 110' loveable of men.—Times. [ADVERTISEMENT.] —Holloway's Ointment and Pills al undoubtedly the finest medicinal preparations yet offe r e r to the publ i c. A pot of the one and. a box of the. oti will be found of more real utility in the nu rser y , In. ;0 sick room, or the hospital, than the best filled medrcL.o chest ever yet procured from the Apothecaries' Hall. be single drug or combination of known medicines eall compared for rapidity and completeness of curat ive res % , with these marvellouslypotent remedies, now justly fain g li s . throughout the world. In all ordinary accidents 9 r e , orders they afford immediate relief. The ointment ? cially efficacious in scalds, burns, bruises, and skin • eases ; and the pills are an unfailing ant idote to all a" orders of the stomach and liver. BIRTHS. l Bl. On the 9th inst., at Wimbledon , the wife of Hovar— Elphinstone, Esq., of a son. of On the 12th inst., at The Waldrons, Croydon, the wi' e Mr. Henry C. Roberts, of a daughter. • MARRIAGES. On the 10th inst., at St. Barnabas', Pimlico, Sir N ot t ' l lel Pringle, Bart., of Newhall, to Louisa Clementine , o f youngest daughter of the late Robert Steuart, BO' Alderston, M.P. for Haddington, &c. -vA On the 10th inst., at Leyburn Catholic Church, 0, Thomas Meynell, Esq., of The Friarage, near N.:i c s . t and Kilvington Hall, near Thirsk, to Matilda, the e' oo t• daughter of the late C. W. C. Chaytor, Esq., of SP e thorne Hall, Yorkshire. DEATHS. On the 11th inst., at 10, Tav i s tock-s q uare, suddenly, Ifi'4l Bowyek, Esq., aged 73. On the 11th inst., at Essex Villas, Campden-hill, °PO J. Furlonger, Esq., aged 83. t ° ondon :Printed by GID EON ACLAND,BOY- g t ; Pf L No. 112, Strand, Printer, and. Published by P I , th e TIIE SUN Office, No. 112, Strand, in the Precinct ot Savoy, in the Gounty of Middlesex. Saturday, January 14, 1871, by Far Mr Me Per bill Mr, Bai Om biff. con Ciro op( me Ida Alf am Bra