The Press.
London, England, 1854-07-15 00:00:00

VoWaal ant( 6tntrai.

liosstrra will visit Edinburgh, for the purpose of
addressing a public meeting, irk about a month hence.
He purposes visiting two other places—namely, New-
castle and Liverpool, with like intent, before the close
of the summer. _ .

NUMEROUS SUITS are, it is stated, about to be in-
stituted against the directors of goki•mining and
other projects lately started, at the instance of share-
holders who, encouraged by the success which has
attended similar actions lately, are determined to try
the efficacy of the law to recover losses which they
conceive to be caused by positive breach of contract
on the part of the directors. One of these actions
was decided on the 7th inst. in the Court of Exche-
quer, the defendant being a director of the Royal
Hibernian Mining Company, professedly conducted
under the cost-book system. The suit was brought
to recover 2001. paid for two hundred shares of 11.
each, and the plaintiff's case was that, whilst the
Prospectus proposed to raise a capital of 100,0001.,
only 5,4581. was paid upon the shares, with which
amount the directors had commenced working the
mine. The Lord Chief Baron summed up strongly
in favour of the plaintiff, and the jury returned a
verdict for the 2001. claimed.

THE PRESS.

Ma. COMMISSIONER EARLE and Mr. Denison, of the
Chancery Bar, and Mr. Thomas Phinn, M.P., and
Mr. R. P. Collier, M.P. of the common law bar, were
sworn before the Lord Chancellor on Monday as
Queen's Counsel; the latter two with patents of pre-
cedence.

A BILL just brought in by Mr. Dunlop► proposes to
provide that, if the jury in a civil cause in the Court
of Session are unable to agree after six hours' delibe-
ration, the verdict of nine may be returned. During
the deliberation the judge is to have power to give
them leave to be furnished with necessary refresh-
ment.

THE FAILURE OF THE HOUSE OF SPIRIDIONE GOP-
cEvrrcH, which had carried on for many years specu-
lations in grain to an enormous extent, has been
announced from Trieste. The firm had purchased
great quantities of corn in the Black Sea and the
Sea of Azoff, and the Russian Government prohibited
its exportation. In the emergency the head of the
house lately proceeded to St. Petersburg, to solicit
from the Emperor some relaxation, obtaining an ad
vance of 100,0001. from capitalists at Vienna and
Trieste, to avert a stoppage meanwhile. His jour.
ney, however, has been fruitless, and the suspension
of the house is announced. The lowest amount at
which his liabilities are estimated seems to be
250,0001., as it is said that the wheat purchased by
him in the Sea of Azoff alone was to the value of
150,0001., and that in the Black Sea the total amount
was still more considerable. M. Mark Gopeevitch,
brother, and London agent for the principal of the
firm, stopped payment on Tuesday. The accept-
ances still running in the country are estimated at
120 to 150,0(0. A telegraphic despatch received
from Vienna on Wednesday announcei that the
Bank of Vienna had consented to advance three
million florins (250,0001.) to enable the house to
tide over its embarassments. _ _

AN IMMENSE CONSIGNMENT, consisting of no fewer
than 17,000 live quails, has been received by a dealer
in Clerkenwell. These birds are considered a great
delicacy at this season, and fetch high prices.
Lonn Jour; Russett has been appointed unpaid
Charity Commissioner for England and Wales, in the
room of Sir George Grey, who resigned on assuming
the office of Colonial Secretary.
THE DEAN AND CHAPTER OF EXETER have taken
the initiative, and abolished the vergers' fees of 3d. a
head for showing the cathedral. The building is
now open free daily, from ten to four o'clock.
THE SHIPMENTS OF SPECIE FROM ENGLAND tO In-
dia, China, Egypt, and Malta for the half year just
ended have been 2,373,0141., of which 514,6671. con-
sisted of gold, and 1,858,3471. of silver. The pro-
portion of this taken oat by the steamers of the
Peninsular and Oriental Company was 2,308,3811.,
while those of the General Screw Company carried
64,6331. The sum included in the aggregate total
as having been sent direct to China is 1,289,5481., of
which all but 86,1561. was silver.
NOTICE has been served from the engineer's office
upon the proprietors of steam-boat companies plying
up and down the river to avoid the third arch of the
Westminster-bridge on the Middlesex side, as the
abutment of the new bridge has been commenced on
that side, and to pass under the fourth arch at a
slackened pace.
THE HOOD MONUMENT in Mensal-green Cemetery
is to be publicly uncovered on Tuesday next, the 18th
instant. An appropriate address is to be delivered
upon the occasion by Mr. Richard Monekton Milnes,
M.P.
THE suspension of payments by Mr. S. Hammond,
of Leeds, is announced. His liabilities are stated to
be about 30,0001., and his assets sufficient to pay
about 7s. in the pound.
EXPERIMENTS were lately made at the Sweet Waters
near Constantinople of Mr. Hale's rockets, before a
select Turkish committee. A considerable number of
Turkish notabilities were on the ground. The firing
was most successful, and fully demonstrated the
superiority of this rocket over all previous inven-
tions. Mr. Hale is about to receive a large order from
the Turkish Government.
AMONGST the strange "notions " sent from Liver-
pool to Australia are enumerated a quantity of coffins
and gravestones, shipped to Melboarne. The coffins
are fitted in one another like pill-boxes.
AT the sale of the late Sir Thomas Talfourd's wines
last week at Messrs. Christie and Manson's a few lots
of port of the vintage 1820 fetched the enormous
price of 131. per dozen.
SEVERAL of the clergy of Birmingham, among whom
are the Rev. J. C. Miller, rector of he old parish
church, Rev. Messrs. Cockin, J. C. Barrett, J. B.
Marsden, and J. Eagles, have announced their inten-
tion of trying the agency of open-air preaching, and
some have actually commenced, with much encou-
ragement. The clergymen above named have each
of them large and densely peopled districts.
THE STEEPING RAINS which have fallen during the
past few days, while proving very beneficial to the
pastures, have done no harm to the growing crops in
Leicestershire. Wheat in that county, it is stated,
hardly ever looked better.

657

THE ROYAL POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTION is about to
start on a new ca. eer, under the magagement of Mr.
J. H. Pepper, professor of chemistry, who has become
the resident director of the establishment. Many
alterations are being made in every department, and
Mr. Pepper announces his intention to give to the in-
stitution a more popular but at the same time
scientific character than it has heretofore assumed.

AN arrangement is on foot amongst the friends of
temperance, offended by the sale of wine, &c., at
Sydenham, to purchase the Surrey Zoological
Gardens, and to erect a large building of glass. The
Builder states that it is proposed to raise 100,0001. by
100,000 1/. shares, and that the gardens have been
provisionally purchased for 25,000/.
BURNT HUMAN BONES and charred wood have been
dug up in excavating for a sewer in Long-lane,
Smithfield, at about four or five feet depth from the
surface. The bones were carefully taken care of, put
into a coffin, and buried in a churchyard. The remains
are supposed to belong to some martyrs burnt during
the progress of the Reformation.
THE launch of H.M.S. Exmouth, of 01 guns, took
place at Devonport Dockyard on Wednesday last. A
vast multitu,le of persons availed themselves of the
opportunity of witnessing the event.
SOME extensive siege operations were exhibited on
Thursday in the Chatham lines under the directions of
General Sir J. F. Burgoyne, Inspector-General of
Fortifications. Prince Albert, with the chairman and
directors of ths East India Company, was present at
the operations. and upon their conclusion were enter-
tained by the officers of the Royal Engineers.
A GENERAL COURT MARTIAL was commenced on
Wednesday at the Infantry Barracks, Windsor, to try
Lieutenant James Edward Perry, of the 46th Regi-
ment, for conduct unbecoming an officer and a gen-
tleman, in having, on the night of the 2Sth ult., com-
mitted an assault on Lieutenant Greer, of the same
regiment. The proceedings were still unfinished
at the close of yesterday's sitting.
THE BRITISH GALLIOT " MARY," which arrived at
Gibraltar on the 2nd, reported that, on the 30th ult.,
when on her voyage from Marseilles, she was driven
by the current within twenty miles of Cape Tres
Forces, and there distinguished a brig being attacked
by Riffian pirates. In the captain's opinion the brig
was taken by the pirates. The Mary did not inter-
fere, being unarmed. A letter from the Admiralty to
Lloyd's agent states that her Majesty's steam-sloop
Prometheus has been again despatched to the Riff
coast.

THE PAYINO. VISITORS at the Sydenham Crystal
Palace, during the past se'nnignt, have been :
Friday (half-crown day), 2,707; Saturday (ss. day),
1,137; Monday, 12,881; Tuesday, 13,699; Wed-
nesday, 0,867 ; and Thursday, 15,014. It is stated
that the waterworks in the p3!ace gardens are in a
sufEciently forward state to lead to the hope that the
smaller fountains will be playing in about a fortnight.
AT the meeting of the Union Bank of London held
on Wednesday a dividend was declared at the rate of
15 per cent. The chairman (Sir Peter Laurie)
stated that business had greatly increased, and that
there was every prospect of its being maintained.
During the past year the assets have been augmented
to the extent of 2,000,000/., the dividend has been
doubled, while the interest to customers is more than
twice the amount previously paid.
THE MILITIA EXPENSES for the year ending March
31, 1855, have been estimated by the select commit-
tee at 908,0001., being the whole sum required for
124,074 men for the United Kingdom. The charge
for regiments to be embodied is 360,000/. ; that for
raising and training the militia (89,176 men) in
England and Wales is 480,0001. ; in Scotland (for
10,800 men), 35,0001.; in Ireland (for 21,000 men),
60,2001.

THE estimate of the expenses of the new office of
the Secretary of State for War has been laid on the
table of the House of Commons. The total sum
required for the period between June 12, 1854, and
March 31, 1855, will be 17,3001., of which 10,4071. is
for the regular salaries of the officers, 2,8881. for con-
tingencies,2,993/. for postage, and 1,0121. for messen-
gers, salaries, and bills. The Secretary of State is to
have 5,0001. per annum. Two under-secretaries 1,500/.
each ; three senior clerks from 0001. to 1,000/. ; four
assistant senior clerks 3501. to 545/. ; four junior
clerks from 1501. to 3001. ; and four probationary
clerks from 100/. to 1501. each. There are other
allowances for private secretaries, Sec., but, as several
of the clerks will be taken from the other public
offices, a considerable counterbalancing reduction
will take place.
A LETTER from Commander Rico, of H.M. steam-
sloop Prometheua, dated Gibraltar, June 28th,
appears in Tuesday's Gazette, giving an account of
the recapture of the English brig Cuthbert Young, of
South Shields, which had been taken and plun-
dered by piratical boats on the Riff coast, about ten
miles to the N.W. of Care Tres Forces. The master
and men, twelve in number, escaped, and six of them
had arrived at Gibraltar. The vessel was not much
injured.

-y

658

THE FIRST LIEUTENANT of the ill-fated Tiger, Mr.
Alfred Royer, has returned to London, and reported
himself at the Admiralty, having been exchanged.
Several of the other officers are reported to be in St.
Petersburg, where they are enjoying themselves
exceedingly, though prisoners. They are allowed
seats at the opera, and carriages to go about in. Mr.
Sullivan, the naval instructor of the Tiger, and who
is at Odessa, has been ill with fever and ague, but
not dangerously. Accounts received yesterday
(Friday) state that all the officers of the vessel
have been exchanged and released.
SOME ADMIRALTY OFFICIALS have visited South-
ampton to inquire into the causes of the filling up of
the mouth of the Itchen River, by which its naviga
tion is impeded.
THE first public sale of captured Russian cargoes
since the commencement of hostilities took place on
Tuesday at Garraway's. There was an immense
attendance of brokers on the occasion, and the sale
was conducted by Mr. Sim, on behalf of the Admi-
ralty. Eleven cargoes were sold, chiefly consisting
of salt. The gross proceeds realised were 3,9031.
14s. 6d.
THE LAST FLOWER SHOW of the season took place
at Chiswick on Saturday last. It attracted a large
number of fashionable visitors, notwithstanding the
threatening state of the weather and the almost
proverbial ill luck which has attended these fetes of
late years. Fortunately the rain kept away, and the
company were able to enjoy the pleasures afforded them
without interruption, except such as was effected by
the authorities of the Horticultural Society with the
view of providing for the expected visit from the
Queen. For this purpose the flower-tents were kept
cleared, and the visitors barricaded off from various
walks and other points of attraction for several
hours. Her Majesty came at length, late in the
afternoon, and left at half• past seven.
M. JULLIEN arrived in England on Monday from
New York, by the Arabia, New Orleans steam. boat.
A quantity of books, maps, dm., has arrived in this
country, sent as a present from the Dutch Govern•
ment to the Society of Arts. The Lords of the
Treasury have given directions for their admission
free of customs dut►es.
THE COMPLETE BLOCKADE OF THE BALTIC la an-
nounced in a supplement to the Gazette issued on
Wednesday. The blockade was established by the com-
bined fleets on June 20, and comprises " the whole of
the ports in the Gulf of Finland to the eastward of
Helsingfors and Sveaborg, on the Finland shore, and
all intermediate roads, havens, and creeks, to Cape
Lubovki, in lat. 60 deg. 5 min. north, and long. 29
deg. 56 min. east. From Cape Lubovki the line of
blockade crosses to Tolboukin Light, immediately off
Cmnstadt, then across southward to off the town of
Borki, in the provinei of St. Petersburg. Westward,
the line extends from Borki to Karavalda Island,
thence to Kolgenpia Point, which includes the Bight
of Koporia, then the River Narva, and the whole coast
of Esthonia and adjacent islands to Ekholm Light,
situated in lat. 59 deg. 43 min. north, and long. 25
deg. 48 min. east."