The Sun.
London, England, 1855-10-17 00:00:00

THE surf. LONDON WEDNESDAY NV ei-t91.N0. OCTOBER 17 1856,

LINES L, Is"..&SED MILD F4', Nrr A .1,• .

THE ACTUAL RESULT OF THE HARVEST

DISGRACEFUL APTEMPT TO ASSAS-
SINATE.

SAZYtilik.

Compem,

;aetua' •
yesterlay.

kl 3
this day.

IN FRANCE.

Bedford and
Blet3hley
Bucirghamoh.
Clydesdal 0 Jc.
Col. Stour Vy.
Sud. and llal.
M. Lin. v.TS nc
E. Un. H. Sh.
Gias. Barr. &
Neils. Direct.
Do. New
GlatrA Dn. Fr
flrtlpl. Dk. &
Railway
Hull & Selby
Do. Sharer.
Do. Shares.
Lon.&Greenw
Do.Preferem.,e
Lon., Til., & S.
Lowestoft gr.
4 per cent.
Do. 6 per et.
Manch. Bxtn.
and Matlock
Middleebro' &
Redcar.

London
N. Vie ,t,
L. &N. W.
E. Un.

The Revue Contemporano publishes a remarkable
article on the provision question. The writer, M.
A. Villedieux, evidently has derived his informa-
tion from authentic official sources, and his appre-
ciation of the actual. result of the harvest in France
may, consequently, be relied upon. The folio wiLg
extracts from this article will be read with in-
terest :

DUBLIN, Tuesday Morn inr,. —The following t,ac-
count of the barbarous attempt to assassinate a
lady, who was, unfortunately for herself, the pro-
' prietor of land in the county of Cavan, a short re-
port of which was forwarded yesterday by tele-
' graph—is supplied by the correspondent of the
Evening Mail. Since the memorable massacre at
Finnoe, in which one of the victims was a lady, the
annals of Irish agrarian crime present no similar
scene of atrocity to the one hero recorded :
" BALLYCONNELL, Oct. 13.—1 n the annals of assassi-
nation and Ribandism I have not, I think, read of any-
thing equal in atrocity and barbarity to the act which I
shall now endeavour to give you an account of. Miss
Charlotte Hinds, on Friday last, about 4 o'clock, when
returning from Ballyconnell, was met in the lane or
avenue leading to her house by two demons in human
shape, who at once dragged her off the car, knockdd
her down with loaded sticks, and then deliberately fired
no fewer than three pistol-shots into her face and head,
after which they walked quietly away, leaving her for
dead. The unfortunate lady was shortly afterwards
carried on a door to her own house, where she now lies
in the most excruciating pain and agony, having, besides
the beating from the sticks, received no less than four
bullets in the face and head, one of which is lodged in
the brain. Her medical attendants entertain not the
slightest hope of her recovery. Some 18 months ago
sworn information was given that this lady was soon to
be shot, and a communication to that effect was made
to the Government, who ordered that she should get; a
police escort at all times she might call for such, but she
only availed herself of the privilege on one or two occa-
sions. Poor, unsuspecting creature, who set herself
down to live in the midst of her property, thinking that
at least a lone and unprotected woman might be safe
among her tenantry, but alas no. Neither age rier sex is
now, nor ever was, respected by the hellish Riband code,
which is ' unchanged and unchangeable.' It will be
a-ked, in what did the unfortunate lady offend ? She
dared to exercise the rights over the property which she
had purchased in the Encumbered Estates Court. She
dared to look for and enforce payment of her rents from
refractory tenants, and she dared against others to bring
an ejectment which would have been tried at the ap-
proaching sessions of this town. Yes, all this she had
the temerity to dare to do, and, notwithstanding
her many acts of kindness—and they are admitted
to be numerous—to her tenants and neighbours,
she has paid the penalty of daring to look for
her own. Such a heinous, cold-blooded, cowardly actis
enough to make one's blood run cold to contemplate.
This locality is in a frightfully bad state. It is well-known
to some of the magistrates that another was on the list
for assassination, and would have preceded poor Miss
Hinds, if the dastardly agents of the Riband system could
have taken him unawares. Let the Government, then,
do what they can at once. They can station an active
and determined stipendiary magistrate, and a sub-in-
spector of the same stamp, at Ballyconnell ; and they
can, under the act, form a police-station on the lands of
Tubberlion (where the deed of blood was perpetrated),
making the land liable for all expenses. When they do
this, then I will give them credit for a desire to protect
life and property in this doomed locality."
Referring to this terrible outrage, the Mail
remarks :

Etna'floss done
this day.

93 - 96
95 - ICO

t.Nrt,;l

E. Count
Caldoui&v

" It appears from the information we have received
that the deficit will amount on an average to a falling off
of 15 per cent. on an ordinary crop in the worst dis-
tricts, and of 10 per cent. in the others; consequently
we have an average proportion of 12 or 12!z per cent.
for all France. As the total consumption of the coun-
try is on an average 82,000,000 hectolitres, including
the grain required for seed, not more than 10,000,000
hectolitres will have to be drawn from abroad. Wheat
and rye present unfortunately a proportionate deficit.
The result of our inquiries, which are perfectly conclu-
sive on this point, shows that, if the wheat and rye
crops have been deficient in quantity, they have been
everywhere, with very few exceptions, of a superior
quality. The ground is sound and full, it yields a much
larger produce than last year, and the flour leaves no-
thing to be wished for with regard to its nutritious
properties. We could mention a departinent where,
judging from the first specimens ground, it is con-
sidered that the superiority in quality is so marked that
it will compensate, in the estimation of the most com-
petent judges, the deficit in quantity to the amount of
a 12th or even of a 10th. A still more important re-
source will be derived from the spring cereals, which
have produced everywhere excellent crops. The supply of
barley, which on an average amounts yearly to about
17,000,000 hectolitres, the half of which only is used as
food, is most abundant. The crop of this year exceeds by
from 15 to 20 per cent, the ordinary produce. The maize
or Indian corn offers also, in the districts where it is
most cultivated, a favourable appearance. It has suffered
only in two or three departments of the south; in others
th• surplus is estimated at 25 or 30 per cent. above the
average. It is particularly fine in the eastern districts.
Maize contributes, one year with another, to the amount
of 6,000,000 of hectolitres for human consumption. Time
accounts from the east of France are also very favour-
able as respects the buckwheat, there cultivated on an
extensive scale, which supplies each year about 6,000,000
hectolitres to the support of the rural population. The
departments of Brittany and the centre of France are san-
guine in their expectations as to the results of this useful
crop. Chestnuts, which the inhabitants of Limousin, Ce-
vennes, and Brittany consume to the same extent as the
cereals durining a great part of the year, present an ap-
pearance of extraordinary abundance. The same may be
said of vegetables, and chiefly of broad and kidney beans.
If to all these we add the oat crop, the produce of which
will be very large, we may boldly state that the defi-
ciency in the wheat and rye crops will be in a great de-
gree compensated. We receive from all sides the most
satisfactory accounts of the potato. The disease with
which it has been attacked for the last 10 years is on
the eve of completely disappearing. It has scarcely shown
itself at all in a great number of departments the most
remote from each other, and in those where it has ap-
peared the injury it has inflicted is very trifling,
Nevertheless it has attacked certain localities with
more or less intensity ; but it has lost, even in these,
a great part of its venom—a symptom of its speedy
disappearance. The potato crop will be the more
abundant, as the marked decline of the disease ob-
served in 1854 induced the farmers to plant it more
generally. To complete this expose of the state of the
crops throughout the country, we must add that the
grape will yield considerably more than the last few
years. It is by no means uninteresting either to observe
that fodder has been generally abundant, and that cir-
cumstance may have a beneficial influence on the price
of meat. We may also mention a circumstance calcu-
lated to lessen the attending difficulties—namely, the
tardiness of this year's harvest, which came in three
weeks or a month later than usual. During that space
of time the country has lived on the produce of 1854.
If, then, as there is every reason to hope, the next har-
vest be nct retarded, that of 1855 will Have to supply
the country only during a period of 11 or 11L; months
instead of 12."

Gt. West]
Yk. New.
& Ecrw.
Y. &N M
IDo.. ,
Do

i 6 17 is

102 IC4

S. Easter
Do

12i -- 13
23 --
115 -- 120

IPeto & Co.

Norfolk
Do

L.& N. W.
& Midld.
Stckton &
Darlingt.

2i - 2i

Midid.Braelfl
Newmarket
Bury Exton
N.& Est.s p.c.
Do. 6 nor et.
Do. Fixeds p
Prost. & w y:,.
Do. A tihr,4. A
Roystn.& Hit.
Shof.Roth and
Goolog.sp.c.
Shrews. &Her.
S. Staifordsh
Wear Valleygr
6 per cent
Do
wilt4r-or,rst

90 2
par ip
1-;6 58

En. Coun.
E. Count
Do

L.& N.W
Do

IGt North
Laneash &
Yorksh.
T. Brassey
M. MC leanl
Stoskt, &
Darlingt

lio :: fii

n - 8}
2t 21

304 - 314
85 VO

I otwAR tn.

" Miss Hinds (a Protestant), a lady possessing a small
property in Cavan, generally resident in Dublin, could get
nu rents from her reluctant tenants, who thought they
should anticipate Parliament in enforcing tenant-right,
and appropriate the whole proceeds of their farms to
their own use. After a struggle, seeing poverty staring
her in the face, she ejected some of the non-paying
tenants, and went down to occupy the farms herself,
preferring to till the ground for subsistence to starving.
Coming home on a car from Ballyconnell market she was
fired at by two ruffians going up a narrow lane leading
to her house by the verge of Currea-wood. Dr. Roe, of
Cavan, was sent for, and found her in a hopeless state.
Reports differ. Some say she still lives, some that she is
dead. Property has its duties as well as its rights.'
By property, the agrarian philosopher who uttered the
axiom meant the owners of property. They have their
rights—so the law says, and so the public in England
-suppose ; but they enforce those rights at the risk of their
lives. If they dare to ask for their rents, they are re-
fused ;if they enforce them, they are butchered. The
day of their execution is generally publicly known, and,
as they pass on to the slaughter, curious faces pop out
of cabin-doors with a demoniacal grin, and are hastily
withdrawn."

THE CATALRY AFFAIR NEAR

EUPATORIA.

The following appears in yesterday's Afoniteur :
"The Minister of War has received the following re•
port from Marshal Pelissier:—

" M. le Marechal,—ln my despatch of the 29th of
September I stated to your Excellency that I had sent
General d'Allonville to Eupatoria with three regiments
of his division of cavalry (the 4th Hussars, the 6th and
7th Dragoons, and a battery of Horse Artillery); I then
expressed the hope that the able activity of this General,
seconded with zeal by the Muchir, Ahmet Pasha, would
succeed in dispersing the troops the Russians have re-
tained in the vicinity of Eupatoria, and afterwards in
threatening the chief line of the enemy's communication
between Simpberopol and Perekop.
" 'A brilliant cavalry engagement took place on the
29th of September at Koughill (five leagues north-east of
Eupatoria), in which the Russian cavalry under Gen.
Boris was completely defeated. This action inau7urates
very auspiciously the series of operations of which Eupa-
toria a ill nnw be the pivot.
" According to a previous arrangement between Gen.
d'Alimi villa and Ahmet Pasha three columns quitted
Eupatcria, on the 29th, at 3 in the morning, to march
against the enemy. _

There are a few additional particulars in the sub-
joined account :

"This horrid outrage was committed in open day,
shortly before 4 in the afternoon, in a populous place,
with several houses immediately contiguous to the
place, but, until the deed was done, and the fellows se-
curely off through a neighbouring wood, not one made
their appearance. It was also committed beside her own
property, but it was remarked that almost if not all the
tenants on the land made their appearance in Ballycon-
nell market that day most conspicuously, in order to be
out of the way. One of her tenants, an old lame man
named Andrew Reilly, Miss Hinds took up on the way;
but as his life is in some of the leases on the lands he
escaped, though he says he was fired at, but this is not
believed. Miss Hinds' servant boy is committed to the
Bridewell here for further examination, as he prevari-
cated, and told a most improbable story. Miss Hinds
was a most kind, good, religious woman ; her only crime
was endeavouring to get her rights from a banded law-
less set of tenants, who thought to hold the lands with-
out the payment of rent. She had an ejectment served
a few days ago on one Stephens here, on the 26th inst ,
which is the cause of this deed of blood. When the
report came in here to the market it seemed to be no-
thing more than an every-day occurrence, and was
received with savage exultation by many—even women.
If the Government do not send an active, efficient, and
determined resident magistrate and sub-inspector of po-
lice at once here, it is feared there are more such acts in
contemplation ; indeed it is well known there are. If
some strong measures are not taken in time with
these murderers neither life nor property is worth a day's
purchase. Why not at once send a party of police to these
lands under the Crime and Outrage Act. Miss Hinds is
still alive. She has considerable property of cattle and
crops on the land, which will be all taken off if not
protected, and she is in a low backward place, unable to
be removed. She lies in a most precarious condition,
all battered with blows, and many bullet wounds in the
head. Are we in a Christian country, or among the
Kafirs ? but even these would respect a woman."

The first, directed to the south-east, took up its
position at the extremity of the isthmus, towards Saki.
It had only a few squalrons of the enemy before it,
which it easily drove back with the aid of two guns,
which supported the column by their fire.
" The second, commanded by Abmet Pasha in per-
son, passing by Oraz, Atchin, and 'reject], advanced nl on
Djollchak, destroying iu its march all the stores of the
enemy.

" :The third column, at the hcad of which was Gen.
d'Allonville, was composed of 12 squadrons of his divi-
sion, of Armand's Battery (of Horse Artillery), 200 irre.
gular cavalry, and six B_•yptian battalions. It cr~esel
one of the arms of Lake Basik, and marched by Chiban
upon Djollchak, the general rendezvims, where the two
last columns joined each other about 10 in the morning.
" `These columns had driven before them the Russian
squadrons, which had successively fallen back upon their
reserves. During the halt ordered to refresh the horses,
Gea. d'Allonville observed the movements of the enemy,
who, with 18 squadrons, several troops of Cossacks, and
artillery, endeavoured to turn his right by advancing be-
tween him and the lake.

STATE OF TRADE.

" General D'Allonville, supported in the rear by
two regiments of Turkish cavalry, and the six Egyptian
battalions, immediately directed his force upon the point
of the lake, so as to surround the enemy himself. The
promptitude of this movement enabled the 4th Regiment
of Hussars, the first line of which was led by Gen. Wal-
sin-Esterhazy, to make a close attack on the enemy, while
General Champeron, with the Gth and 7th Dragoons, in
the second and third line, advanced on the Russian Lan-
cers, and compelled them to a precipitate retreat, during
which our troops harassed them for a distance of more
than two leiiguea.
" The enemy being unable to keep their ground on
any point and flying in every direction, GeneraldoiAlelulteond-
ville halted the squadrons, and, before retiring, c
all that the Russians ha:? abandoned on the field of battle.

MANCHESTER, OCT. 16.

The market this morning has been flat. Yesterday a
disposition to operate, which had manifested itself some
little on Saturday, led to more business than of late from
a belief that the greater stea,dineis in the raw material
at Liverpool might lead to some reaction in prices here ;
but this morning the intelligence gleaned from the tele-
graphed summaries of the money articles contained in
the morning papers had a disheartening effect, and the
business done has been very light. To some extent the
downward course of prices has been checked, but while
sellers are less willing to make concessions, buyers are
again manifesting a disposition to withhold their orders
where there is no temptation in the shape of easier
prices. Both in cloth and yarn the feeling is the same,
and the transactions throughout the day have been on
a small scale.

" ' As the result of the action we have taken six. guns
(three Bannon and three mortars), 12 caissons, and ono
field forge, with their horses and harness ; 169 prisoners,
of whom one is an officer, Lieutenant Procopvitcb, of the
18th Lancers ; and 250 horses.
" The enemy left on the field about 50 killed ; among
them was recognised Colonel Andreowski, of the 18th
Lancers, of the division of General Korf, who com-
manded in this engagement, and who has the reputation
in the Russian army of being a cavalry officer of great
merit. Our loss, in comparison, is very small ; we have
six killed and 29 wounded ; M. Pujade, aide-de-camp of
General \\raisin ; and M. de Sibert de Gornillon, ordon-
nance officer of the same general, are among the latter.
" 'This brilliant action does honour to the regiments
engaged in it, as well as to General Walsin and De
Champeron, and to General D'Allonville, who speaks in
high terms of the support he received from Achmet
Pasha, and the Turkish troops under his command.
" Receive, Monsieur, &c.,
" 4PELISSIER, Marshal, Commander-in-Chief."'

Messrs. John Slagg and Co. say :
" Since Thursday last, when it became known that
the Bank had made no further advance in the rates for
discount, there has been a better feeling in the market,
and a fair amount of business has been done in most de-
scriptions of goods. In prices there is no change to
notice since last Tuesday—tbe full extent of the improve-
ment being to check the downward tendency which then
existed."

Messrs. George Fraser, Son, and Co., report :
"There is no improvement in our market whatever
to-day either in price or demand. Yesterday there wai
a more animated feeling, and a larger amount of business
was done, but this has entirely passed away, leaving the
market stagnant at the lowest previous prices. The
threatening aspect of the money-market seems to augur
a very unsettled state of business.

LEEDS, OCT. 16.

THE DUKE AND DUCHESS DE BRABANT

Considering the period of the year, the state of the money-
market, and the price of corn, the business transacted in
the cloth-halls this morning has been fully as good, both as
to extent and prices, as could be expected. Winter goods
have sold to a fair extent, and among them several arti-
cles suitable for the outer apparel of women. There is
undoubtedly some contraction of work in the woollen
mills in several of the villages in this district, and some
persons express fears of a very indifferent winter trade ;
but the general feeling is one of confidence that there
will continue to be little less than an average business
done, and at remunerative prices. There is little or no
diminution in the demand for woollen goods for the come
trade, and there are many indications that the great
bulk of the people are well employed, and that even the
present high price of bread will not be much complained
of by the working classes.

AT ST. CLOUD.

A Paris letter of the 14th, in the Rdependance
of Brussels, gives the following details of the grand
dinner of between 60 and 70 covers given to the
Duke and Duchess de Brabant At St. Cloud on
Saturday :
" The Empress, from her interesting position, did not
attend, and it was the Princess Mathilde who did the
honours. The Emperor and her Imperial Highness went
to the apartments of the Duke and Duchess to accom-
pany them, and his Majesty presented the Princess to
the Duchess, and the guests to the Dake. At table the
Duchess occupied the centre place opposite the Princess
Mathilde ; the Emperor was on the right hand, and the
Prince Napoleon on her left. The Duke deßraban t was on
the right.of the Princess Mathilde, and the Minister of Bel-
gium on the left. Lady Cowley was on the right of the
Emperor, and Mme. Rogier. the Belgian ambassadress,
on the left of Prince Napoleon. The other places of
honour were occupied by the Minister of Foreign Af-
fairs, the Minister of State, and Mme. Fould, Marshal
and Mme. Magnan, the Minister of Justice, and the
President of the Senate. Amongst the other personages
present were the secretaries of the English and Belgian
Legations, and General Canrobert. In the evening
there was a reception, and the Empress joined it. Danc-
ing to the piano took place, but the Duke and Duchess
de Brabant being in mourning did not take part in it.
The Emperor danced with the Princess Mathilde.
Amongst the guests were the Countess de Montijo,
mother of the Empress, the Duke and Duchess de Alba,
and the Ambassador of Turkey. The Emperor and the
Empress, and their Royal guests retired at half-past
eleven,"

LETTER FROM THE SULTAN TO
GENERAL LA 114ARMO.RA.

The Piedmontese Gazette publishes the following
letter, addressed by the Sultan to General La
Marmora

" General—The brave troops which the King, my
august and intimate ally, has placed under your com•
mand, have contributed to the brilliant victory gained
by the allied armies, a victory which worthily crowns so
much courage and bravery. I congratulate you and your
brave army in my own name and in that of my people,
as I have congratulated our brave allies the English and
French. Turkey acknowledges your bravery as well as
your own country, and the whole world admires the
heroic courage of the sons of the nations now united by
the bonds of an intimate alliance. The taking of a
fortress, the siege of which will illustrate the annals of
military history, is the best recompenc for their heroism,
which their country will ever remember. The President
of the General Council of War, General of Division Rifaat
Pacha, the bearer of these presents, will express
.to.7us,
General, by word of mouth, my sincerest c
"gratibaotnirat
I pray God to have you in his holy keeping.
the Palace of Tcheragan, on the 7th of the
harrem, 1272 (the 28th Of September.") 'goon of Mo.

EMBEZZLEMENT BY A SEEJEANT OF THE 36T$.—Yes-
terday (Tuesday) morning s warrant was granted by R.
Blunt, Esq., one of the Windsor borough magistrates,
for the apprehension of Pay-Serjeant George William
Bennett, of the 36th Regiment, charged with em-
bezzling and absconding with certain monies belonging
to his company. It appears he left his lodgings in com-
pany with his wife, about a quarter to ten o'clock on
Monday evening in a cab, and has not since been heard
of. In the morning, on his absence being discovered,
information was immediately given to Mr. Eager, aupe•
rintendent of police. Hie defalcations exceed 1001.

CRYSTAL PALACE.—Return of e.dn3issions for six clays
ending Oct. 13.—Number admitted, including season
ticket holders, 25,211. ,Amount received for admissions,
1,157411 x, 6d.

MR. SIDNEY HERMTRT AT WILTON.

At the " triennial commemoration" of the opening
of the Wilton Parochial Library and Reading-room, a
public tea party was held in the National School-room,
on Tuesday last ; the Right Hon. Sidney Herbtrt, M.P.,
in the chair.
The room was tastefully decorated with flags, ever-
grens, and pictures, many of the latter being eiegravings
' of scenes and incidents in the Crimea. In addition to
the family and visitors of Mr. Herbert nearly all the
leading families in Wilton and its vicinity were present.
Considerable additional interest was excited by the pre-
sence of the Hon. and Rev. S. G. 04mrne, and the pro-
. raised narration by that gentleman of some of his expe-
riences in the East. Mrs. Bracebridge, the coadjutor of
Miss Nightingale in her labour of benevolence in the re-
formation of the military hospitals, was also present, in
company with Mrs. Heibert. The preliminary business
of tea-drinking being over,
The Right Hon. S. HERBERT, M.P., said he had been
asked by the committee to preside over that meeting,
and had great pleasure in complying with that request.
Three years since a meeting was held to consider the
best means of establishing in Wilton a parochial reading-
room, which might give t, all classes the opportunity of
getting access not only to books, but also to those
periodicals which were of so much interest by their ac-
counts of those occurrences which from day to day were
taking place around us. The result of that meeting had
been the establishment of the reading-room, which he
believed had been eminently successful, the memLers
now numbering 80. They had a good supply of books,
but that supply was limited, and'it *was of importance to
find means of increasing the library by obtaining fresh
works when the old ones had been read. This might,
he was informed, be done by connecting themselves with
a similar society, and so making an exchange of volume's
when the old stock was exhausted. He had himself
brought some books with him, which he hoped the
committee would do him the honour of accepting, as
some contribution to the stock of the library.
(Cheers.) Another subject they would have to consider
was, hew to obtain the means of having a series of lec-
tures at their reading-room. He was informed that by
putting themselves in communication with the Society of
Arts they could get lecturers from London, perfectly
masters of every subject on which they were selected to
lecture, and supplied with extensive apparatus for illus-
trating them. In considering the suggestions he had
just made, it bad occurred to him to write to a gentle-
man who had always taken the liveliest interest in mat-
ters of this kind, and be bad asked him to come over and
give them a lecture on the present occasion on those
great events which, during the last 12 months, bad filled
every household either with the greatest exultation or
the deepest grief. He felt proud of the courage and
conduct so nobly displayed by our army during the war
in the Crimea. He confessed that be was not one of
those who were disposed to find fault or to depreciate
the efforts made by the English army in the late siege.
He thought, on looking back upon the history of British
war, they would hardly find an instance in which in so
short a time such eminent and decisive successes bad
been gained as those lately achieved by our army in the
Crimea. (Cheers.) When did they ever see in so brief
a period such victories a-i were commemorated by the
names of Alma, Balakiava, and Inkerman--names which
would ever be household words in England ? (Cheers.)
They bad on the walls of that room pictures of these
battles and these great events, and they had also the
portrait of a lady whom they all knew—Miss Florence
Nightingale, whose exertions, whose sacrifices, and
whose self-devotion had won for herself an undying
name. (Cheers.) Miss Nightingale was not among
them that evening, though they had among them a
friend of hers, who bad shared with her, and could bear
testimony to, the dangers and horrors which, in the dis-
charge of her high mission, she had gone through. To
that friend he would tender his thanks on their common
behalf, but yet they might believe him when he said that
whatever thanks—whatever honour—whatever reward
they might give here, were as nothing compared
with the reward hereafter. When he wished to open
that evening's meeting by some observations from one
who had himself visited those scenes of interest, it oc-
curred to him that the Rev. S. G. Osborne also went out
on a mission of mercy. To Mr. Osborne he also would
tender his thanks for the efforts he had made on behalf
of the suffering army. That gentlemen had witnessed
those scenes of suffering, and had shared in their allevi-
ation. He had consented to come over to Wilton that
evening, and he was glad of introducing him to his
friends present. He was sure they would give Mr. Os-
borne every attention while he made some observations
on what he had seen. They would listen to him with the
greatest pleasure while he was addressingthem on a sub-
ject of so Much interest as those scenes which he had
personally witnessed, and was now about to describe.
(Cheers.)

The Hon. and Rev. 5. G. OSBORNE, who was re-
ceived with loud cheers, said he had unexpectedly re-
ceived a letter from Mr. Herbert, asking him to come
over and give the people of Wilton a little Crimean talk.
The only mistake Mr. Herbert made in that application
was that he had never been in the Crimea, and conse-
quently could not of his own experience tell anything
about it. But if he had not walked in the scenes of war
himself; he had walked in the dark shadow of war—if
he had not witnessed the charge and the glory of the
battle-field, he had seen the wounds and sufferings
which succeeded it. Allusion had been made to one
not here present, Miss Nightingale, but there was one
among them, 'UN. Bracebridge, who had nobly sup.
ported her in her labours. The work they had done,
the toils they had endured, would have been too much
for the endurance of an Englisman, but they were not
too much for that of an Englishwoman. (Cheers.) When
the future historian shall give in a future reading-room
his account of this campaign, not the least proud pas-
sage in it will be that which tells at once how English-
men fought at Inkerman and Alma, and in the fear-
ful fire of the Redan, and how Englishwomen also
were found to shrink from no work, however appalling,
to which duty called them. (Cheers.) To those works
they were moved by no motives of worldly fame, but
by those only of tried Christian feeling. There were
some things in which, when men failed, women could
succeed, and tAriss Nightingale and' Mrs. Bracebridge,
who supported her, would not ba the least honoured in

the history of that Eastern camnaio'n. To turn to
lighter subjects, he bad brought with him two or three
things—trophies of the war—which might possibly be
of some interest. I.lr. Osborne then exhibited several
interesting trophies, and after expressing his deep re-
gret that he had too short a notice to prepara a more re-
gular lecture, and thanking his audience for the kind-
ness with which they bad received him, proceeded once
more to advert to the conduct of the English army in
the East. He (Mr. Osborne) went to the East with a
very (afferent feeling towards the soldiers than the one
he now entertained. He now honoured the soldiers, for
he could realise the feelings under which they went forth
to suffer and to die in the discharge of their duty to
their country. (Cheers.) He did trust, then, when the
war was over, that honour would be done to all alike—
that they should not have some greeted like the stars of
a theatre, while others were neglected, but that one and
all hi the English army would receive the honours and
rewards to which their valour entitled them. Mr.
Osborne then proceeded to notice the beneficial work-
ings of such institutions as the one whose members and

frieLds he was addressing, and concluded-;-eic4uent,
address by avowing his belief that no class had any more
right to a monopoly of education than to a monopoly of
the light of heaven. (Cheers.)
Mr. 11. BLACKMORE, on behalf of the company, begged
to thank Mr. (:sborne fur his interesting lecture.
Three cheers were then severally proposed and given
for Mrs. Bracebridge and for Mr. and Mrs. Herbert,
who, as was observed by Mr. Blackinore, had done so
much for Wilton.

MITIGATED NATIONAL BANKRUPTCY.

(From the Derbyshire Courier. )

"The question whether the war expenditure is be-
yond the means of the country must, therefore, be boldly
met. If it be upon a scale to involve a permanent drain
of gold there is no alternative but to lower it, or to
prepare for that mitigated form of national bankruptcy
which consists in a suspension of specie payments."
Here is an "alternative" truly ! Having been forced
into a great war, we are -decidedly against having it
starved. Therefore no surrender, no reduction ! Let
us by all means have a "mitigated national bank-
ruptcy."

The writer in the Times, from which paper we have
made the extract which stands at the head of this article,
is sufficiently prolix, but not very logical. If, says he,
the war expenditure exceeds the means of the country,
we must either reduce our expenditure, or proceed to
"a mitigated form of national bankruptcy," to enable
us to do without such reduction of expenditure. "A
mitigated form of national bankruptcy" is, therefore, a
specific for raising the war expenditure of a great nation.
What then is this splendid financial operation to
which so important and advantageous a result is attri-
buted ? " A mitigated form of national bankruptcy of
consists," says the Times oracle, "in a suspension
specie payments."
15th March,
We are not without precedents. On
all the gloom and
1848, the French Government,
„
terror of an unparalleled Revolcuitnion,-".
issued a decree
which involved " the actual suspens'"nois,caalifillrtne
pay-
ments."d The Times, three days afterward
that this measure could hardly he distinguished under
the circumstances from a general act of bankruptcy,"
1804r95,t
leffects."essthan u
yt,e
abrehaoiltde
r
which must produce " the w
ptaosidt
yuesatrh, hat
on the 16th February,rytheofTitire
this "act of general banktrineptheiA'Yo'
"the only passage in
which the French have reason to be proud, was this
"act of general bankruptcy"—which was
now said to be a
decree—this masterly operation," a " heroic re-
sistance to adverse circumstances," which "rescued the
country from the jaws of bankruptcy,
and society itself
from dissolution Weconclude that multitudes who
allow the Times to think for them, read, believed, and
admired both these statements—at the time when they
were written.
Now let us refer to our own precious experience in
this country. On
27th February, 1797, the stock of
bullion In the Bank of England had fallen to 1,272,0001.
Everything looked gloomy. A foreign invasion was
supposed to be impending. "In addition," says Mr.
Francis, "to foreign force, domestic treachery was jus-
fiably feared. Corresponding classes, Friends of the peo-
ple, and Jacobin societies were spreading a poison and a
pestilence through the minds of the nation. It was well
known that a number of discontented men would gladly
hail the appearance of a French fleet off the English
coast. Ireland was approaching an open insurrection.
Disaffection bad seized upon our seamen. The Nore
witnessed an active mutiny." "The wooden walls of
Old England" tottered.
What saved our country in this perilous hour ? "That