The Express.
London, England, 1863-10-01 00:00:00

THE CALCUTTA AND CHINA MAILS.

The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steam
ship Ripon, Captain Christian, with the heavy portion of the
shover:mita arrived at Southampton yenta& evening. She
brinp 70 passage's, five packages specie, value 1,152/., and
1,337 packages cup, including 1,142 bales raw silk, value
100,0001. sterling.
The steam sloops Lepanto, Alecta, and Buses Venture
were at anchor in Malaga on the 21st. These vessels were
at the disposal of the Captain General should so expedition
against the Itiffians be decided on. Besides the above
vessels 12 launches, each capable of disembarking 100 men,
were:ready in that, port.
The Gibraltar Chronicle, of the 25th tilt., says :

Nothing appears to have been yet decided by the
Spanish government respecting the expedition to the
coast of Riff. A final determination will uot be
some to until after the receipt of the Sultan's re-
ply, and this, we learn, had not reached Madrid down
to the evening of the 23rd. Preparations, however, are
being quietly Riede, in order that the expeditionary force may
be despatched with as little delay as possible, should the
astute of the Sultan'. sweet render it necessary for Spain
to take the punishment of the Adkins into her own hands.
The Spanish journals give the list of the several corps that
are to form the expedition, arid the 'hips of war that
are to compose the squadron ; and • Malaga toper
mentions the arrival of • battery of artillery from Cresols
la readiness for immediate embarkation. The gaxriaou of
Melilla has already been reinforced by • battalion of the
Galiciaregimeot. The Rialans in theneighbourbood of Melilla
have not again bad recourse to active hostilities, but the
party amongst them most inimical to the Spaniards had
prohibited the others from forsishing provisions to the
Melilla garrieon, sod imposed a tined 10 dollars for any
contraventionof this order. The letter from Melilla of the
17th. to which we are indebted for the above information,
also states that the RiMans are removing the produce of
the late harvest and all their property from the villages in
the vicinity of the fortress; from which it would seem that
they are already aware that the Spaniards are likely to
Ml6= the casaaiss, sad attack them on their own ground,

[TWOPENCE

NB. HENLEY, M.P., ON THE INFLUENCE of
FREE TRADE UPON maucuLruits.

WOODUI'OCK, WZDNEISDAY.

The annual show of the Woodstock Agricultural
and Horticultural Society took place yesterday, in Blen.
helm-park, which, as well as the private gardens attached
to the ducal mansion, was thrown open to the members and
visitors of the society by his Grace the Duke of Marl-
borough. The show of flowers, which was exceedingly tithes
took place under marquees pitched on the lawn neer the
palace, and a volunteer bend attended throughout the day.
The number of visitors was very large, and the show was a
complete moms. The prizes were distributed by the
Duchess of Marlborough.
la the evening the members of the society dined together,
Lord Dll.Loir in the chair.

The Duke of MARLBOROUGH, in returning thanks for the
toast of his health, briefly addressed the company on the
present improved condition of agriculture, sad the service
which had been rendered it by amities like the present.
Mr. MILIBIZT, M.P., in returning thanks for the borough
members, expressed his gratification at being present after
his recent illness, and 6:peened • hope din agriculture
would 'lean be awned, the first, if not the wry first
interest of the country. I believe, he said, that it lathe first,
if measured by a proper standard. lithe conclusion was one
at which only we ourselves arrived it would still be very pa-
laying to our feelings, but we have had the advantage of
the opinion of a foreign prince who lately presided over the
meeting of an agnoultural society at a place sot verT ter
adorn from this. if. have • to wonder that opiakm
Sellkinni Nab, balm
doubt • &admonished foreigner nsuucclh es the Duke of Auntie
residing in this country is likely to take • just view of things
which come before him. His royal bighorns said very com-
plimentary thieve of ut as fanners and Roglishmes. He
said that we were better off for free from state inter-
femur* in the management of our , and because
these societies are self•managed and have to do with
the government. All than things are parent to bear;
but • power which watcher over as all feats that we might
be too proud, and we have bees told in the press that
though better off than people abroad, we have too many
poor, and that though it is well to have egriculteral
societies managing themselves, we might have been
better off d we had • minister of agriculture
We are further informed that the Ant spring of
agriculture to/lowed on free trade, though len recollect
that the first spring of agriculture as now carried on;:z
us took place 40 or 50 years ago. But ell this his •p
in what is called the leading organ. What are the facts !
At the beginning of the present century there was an agri-
cultural society supported by grants from parliameet. Some
40 yeses ago the governoteot of the day got nomonerall, rod
that society was snuffed out. (Laughter.) Well, that society
having been snuffed out, the Royal Agricultural Society
sprang up. Therefore, it was not for want of a governing
society that we were not better off. (Hear, bear.) Agreed-
tare, in my opinion, Las never stood still. You may trees
it pop one period to soother ; and improvements ia

L and wire

developed be-fore tree trade was introduced. (Hear
hear.) I come to book on that. (A laugh.)
w I
think there has been • great improvemeet in hat
is called thorough dainties. The system, coatradiriegnished
hoar the old Essex system, oemmeoced in this county. Ido
not go very quick into thugs- (laughter)—bat my tenantry
did this thirty years ago, therefore that improvement did
not originate in free trade. it is quite true that after the
introduction of free trade 2,000,0001. or 3,000,0001. of public
money were lent to persons to enable than to thorough
drain, but that only gave drelopmeat to • principle
which had been known and acted on helm. (Rear, bear.)
What is the other great improvement? The quick bringing
to market of the stock prepared by the agriealsurit. That
is an improvement which has been of vital importance to the
people. If it were not for it they might have wagged their
rye, but they would have had ,no meat to put in them.
(laughter and " Her, hear.") Sheep, the greet staple
food of the country, were now brouxht to market within
twelve months after they were born, and when many
of them have been shorn once. That began very
many years ago in this part of England. I re.
member seeing the young sheep walking to market
with flannel jackets on their backs, to keep them from
getting cold. (Load laughter.) What lam stating is •
tact, and it rows how agriculture has gone on, till we now
find small lambs going up. You do sot get such rood
mutton, to be sure, but if you had not the supply which is
now sent to market you could not feed the people. (Hear,
hear.) Again, the improvemeota in machinery have gone
on step by step ; from the rough hone thrashing mantis* to
thane steam 1.0104610114 WWI we now 1.0 corking
everyone of theme shows. True, the propels has se
gradual, but my hoc. friend near me (sr. Barry, IL P.)
will not proceed that the mills of Lancashire were r pr-
feet forty years ago as they are now. All modern trade
and commerce is constantly improving, and in agriculture
there are constant improvements as well as in trade. We

have ndt gone on by jumps—we have bees continually im-
proving ; and I ern satisfied that we must still be doing so,
in order to keep pace with the uccessitics of the time. Asti
cultural shows are, useful in permitting us to see how we
mu beet do so. Perhaps you of Woodstock think you are
the best fellows in the world, but if you go a hundred miles
you will find people who can walk round you. (A laugh,
and cheers.) We see that these fellows go hater, and
we find out that we must go feeler too. We must
keep moving, and I believe we shall continue to move. But,
it may be salted, why are not farmers as enthusiastic in
favour of new inventions, and as quick to adopt them, as
manufacturers are to avail themselves of improvements is
machinery ? There is this great difference—that in experi-
ments made with respect to mesafsotnres, the circumstances
are of a fixed character, while in respect of agricultural ex-
periments the best of them may be mast by atmospherical
itiflueums, over which you have no control. An expierimeet
which promises Tiny wall may turn out so be good for no-
thing. This naturally makes the agriculturist more careful
than if he could at once make his experiments under more
settled and favourable ciremeatancea He nest watch the
effect of three or four seasons—he aunt Mapes such con-
clusions as if he made his experiments within four walls and
under a fixed condition of things. Ido not like to me our
profession run down as it sometimes is. Ido net see why,
when the country has brought its agriculture to a print
which bears comparison with that of other countries, we
should not be allowed to proosed at a fair pane. We cannot
increase our ground; that is every day taken from
usfor houses and cottages; yet with all these
things we have increased our produce, and this can
only have been doe* by improved modes of working. I do
sot conclude from this Mete of things that there is no amen
for improvement. Quite the contrary ; but I think that by
the efforts of such societies as these—by watching the
' effect of inventions, and by adopting such of them as tarn
out to be real improvertente—you will keep the agriculture
of this country, as it know, at the head of the agriculture of
the world. (Cheers.) On political subjects, I thank God,
there is not much for us to say. As I obetrved before this
year at one of these meetings we are at peace with the
world, mid we are at peace with one another—(cheers)—and
I hope we shall keep ourselves at retire. (Hear, hear.)
Other countries seem to be willing enough to fight ; there
seems to be no indispomtioe on their part to fall out and
slay one another, but I hope we awn keep out of it. I see
no English interest ruixtd up in it. I trust we shall always
keep out of fighting, sinless there is some honest English
interest to fight for. If that is the case let us take off oar
gloves and fight like men. (Cheers.) There is no use in
making a noise if you don't intend to fight. The least said
the soonest mended. (Load cheers.)
Colonel NORTH slid Colonel FANE returned thanks is
brief terms, and several local toasts wets given and re •
sponded to before the party broke up.

Tux Fizz or NmisAu.—TheCuard:an, of last night
mays :—" We hear that the long-vacant Bishopric of \rwau
has beep filled up by the appointment of the Rev. A. R. P.
Venable; WA. of Fseter College, and curate of St. Prays,
Oxford."

A 1-11.1• CHER IN • DITTICrLTY.—" When Greek
meets Greek," &c., we are toll, was nearly receiriug a
curious illustration at the late meeting of the British Ass*.

action in the north of Ejigland. Om the Sunday zooming a
goodly number of the wise men" made their appointees
((as it was expected they would do) iu the choir of Durham
Cathedral, attracted doubtless by the lar•famed excellence
of the choral service there. The story tuns that it was the
duty of a professor of the Ueiversitv of Durham, who is
also • canoe of the Cathedral of Durham, to preach on the
occasion, sod the sermon prepared is said to have been one
in which the theories of a professor of the University of
Oxford were very "freely handled." The preacher ascended
the.pulpit, looked mooed, and to his dismay saw is an oppo-
site stall the very protestor against whom his oo doubt very
excellent discourse was levelled. fltrosg nerves were required
Inc the °comics, and the intotailiog preacher's nerves are
said to bare failed. He descended the steps of the pulpit,
and held a consultation with the attendant verger. That
experimmed official knew that ace of the calm' dignitaries
made a practice of oarryiug a sermon in his pocket-00e pro-
bably on the "vanity of human aisher,"—in c ait of acci-
dent. To him therefore he wended his way, sod the Pro-
fessor being ushered out of the pulpit, the archdeacon was
ushered is, to the astm6hmeut of those who were not in
the secret, sod the amusement of those who were. It was
certainly a poultice ad some delimit" ; sad we cannot doubt
that the northers Greek would be quits prepared to try the
" tug of war" with the southern, when the trims was more
fair for the latter.— Guar ',on. _

Orzz• GILABirm—T. HAAR'. and SOY% OLMISIII
Rill retain the celebrity long awarded to them by the habitats
Of Otte Opera: they possess bigh magnifying power, with a
harms mat perfectly distinct Said .4 vier. she scab{ of podia.
ti,n. T. Marla sad Sou make or alter Opera Wares so aa to iso-
mtrataly suit searelgrited eyes. A lariat, el the Dewed fern
mad fashion for thu seams. lloleratt price& The.. Barns
and Son, Opticians. opposite the highs', llusCbtli Enadon•
17Ø.-46.1reettssalett I

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