The Sun.
London, England, 1863-07-28 00:00:00

lotion is taken into account, the offence itself may'
bear no greater ratio to its numbers than it did
some time ago. On the other hand, we must freely
admit that the weight of evidence is all on t" side
of the reluctance which exisis araeng juries to bring
in a verdict of murder if such a varoict can possibly
be escaped. Dr. Lankester, the Cor.' for Middle-
sex, bears express testimony upon te''is point, a!id
a more competent authority in a profeasional point
ner
view could hardly be quoted upon the subject.
virtu-
When, f...owever, we turn from a fact which
ally admits ase no denial, to the causes which are
said to have produe':(l it, we are at once inv°l° ea
in a maze of contradictions. Mr. Cox blaCies the
bastardy laws, and complains that the insui:Ezien'
allowance of half a crown a week as a maximum sects
as a direct provocathe to the Hetty Sorrels of ine
present day to get rid at once of their disgrace e,IG
of the burden which they have entailed upon them-
selves by it. We pass over f tie somewhat absurd
suggestion of Mr. Hunt that crinoline is at the
bottom of the loose morals of our domestic servants,
but it is notorious that a vast differeoce exists upod
the causes which are directly productive of
murder. Some arc disposed to attribute its fre-
quency to the comparative immunity en; oyed h 9
the mother, under the present rulings of the judges
with respect to the evidence which can be ica'allY.
received as the original vitality of the child. Ot.hera
would attach more weight to the influence of Ole
expense of the maintenance of the child, whem
thrown into the balance against its life, than to the'
impulses of shame resulting in an attempt to escape
detection. In support of the latter theory there ist
at least, the argument that in a large proportion of
the cases of wilful murder the infants were of the
age of 12 months and upwards, and the notorious
fact that, especially among our agricultural popu-
lation, but a very small amount of stigma attaches
to the mother of a " love child." But the very dis-
crepancy of opinion proves the extreme difficultiesl
which we have to encounter when w© come to dear
practically with the evil. If we increase the allow-
ance paid to the mother of an illegitimate child, it is
argued very naturally that there must be a corre-
sponding diminution in the incentives to chastity.
The present style of dress is most unquestionably
within the province of paterfamilias in his private'
capacity,but can hardly be brought under his notice
as a member of the Legislature. As to the rules of
evidence in cases of infanticide, they must clearly be
left to the discretion of the judges, who are not,
merely tne most compe ent but the only proper
authorities upon questions of such a character.
In short, after ail the suggestions which have
been made, we are driven back pretty
much upon Sir George Grey's conclusion, " that
the best means of checking the crime of infanticide
is to improve the morals of the people, for no law
which Parliament could frame would be so effectual
to prevent it." Some beneficial effect might pm'
sibiy be produced by the infliction upon a reputed
father in easy circumstances of a pecuniary mulct
in addition to the present weekly payment, which
might be available at its cessation as a premium
for the apprenticeship or other advancement in life
of the child. It is questionable also whether the
present weekly stipend is adequate in towns to pro-
vide for the child at nurse so to enable its mother to
gain her own living. So long as this is the case its
chances of surviving must obviously be but
small, when its removal will be so great s.
relief. Still, all such provisions as these call
operate only as palliatives of the evil. Beyond
the extreme difficulty of acting otherwise
there is really no reason for imposing upon one
party to a delinquency nine-tenths of the burden
when both are, morally speaking, at least equally
guilty. It is high time that public attention should
be specially directed to the prevalence of infanti-
cide ; since in the publicity of the crime and in the
abhorrence which it creates in the minds of the
community in general lies, as it would seem at pre-
sent, the best chance of the gradual disappearance
from among us of so foul a stain upon the national
character.

COUNTRY MARKETS.

- - -----

GLOUCESTER—JULY 25.
The show of wheat to-day was very good, with a szofill
attendance of farmers. English and foreign wheat 001'
at previous rates. In barley, oats, and beans there svaBll°
alteration.

COLCHESTER—JULY 25.
There was a firm trade in wheat to-day, and On some
samples about is per qr advance on last week was made.
Spring corn very dull, at late rates.
Wheat,' white. 46s 56s Beans, Mazagan . . 308 33s
red 428 52s middle & 5ma11.358 429
Barley ....... 8 —s Peas, white
40s 429
Oats

CHELMSFORD—JULY 24.
At this corn exchange to-day there was a fair attend"
ante, and a little more eagerness was evinced by buyerop
at the full prices of last week. Other articles dull.
Wheat, old white 30s 52s yeas, Partridge.,..37B 408
new 148 49s White .......... 398 408
old red 36s 47s Boiling ..... ....408 43s
new 34s 44s Dun 358 383
Barley .. 218 36s Ditto new —s --s
Chevalier 2Bs 40s Beans, Tick, old ..34s 395
Grinding 22s 31s —3
Malt..., new..-5 15
.... 61s 67s Harrow Ticks ..358 408
Chevalier . ...... 64s 69s new..-8 5
Oats ....20s 28s Mazagan .......308 383

KIRKCALDY GRAIN—JULY 25.
To-day we had small supplies of oats, only one parcel
of barley, but rather a large supply of wheat. Sales readY,
and prices were in favour of sellers.
Wheat. Barley. Oats.
First....34s Od 30s Od I 24s Od
Second ..40s Od —s Od 26s Od
Third Od —s Od —s Od

COAL
Vilma of Coal per Ton al

.ARKET.
the close of the market.

s. d.
Cowpen Hartley 15 3
Carway and Duffryn
Malting l9 6
Eden Main 16 3
North Felton Gas. 13 3
Hastings Hartley l5 3
Holywell 16 3
West Hartley 15 3
Wylam 16 0
Norton's Anthracite 22 0

B. d•

Walls End.
Haswell. ..... 18 0
Riddell l6 16 0
Burn 16 6
Framwellgate.. l6 0
Ships at mark(

Walls End.
Heugh Hall 16 6
'Hartlepool.. l6
Trimdon Hartlepool 17 6
'South Hartlepool 16 u
East Hartlepool 17 3
6
' K elloe
South Kelloe l6 6
' Hetton 18 0
Tunstall ...... l5 9
South Hetton ...... l7 9
Wharncliffe ....16 3
Russel's Hetton 16 6
Cassop .. l7 6
Brr.ddyll's Hetton 16 6

lt, 82 ; sold, 62.

Foreign Mail Packet List.

MAILS DUE.
Australia and Mauritius, via Southampton. ..Aug. Ig*„
via Marseilles ..Aug. I,°'
Brazil and Cape Verds, by British packet. Aug.
29.
Cape of Good Hope, Ascension, and St. Helena.. July - China, Penang, and Singapore, via Southampton. Aug. 2.
Falkland Islands
via Marseilles ..July 27.
...............
Gibraltar, via Southampton ...... July 26.
India (Calcutta), and Ceylon, via Southampton Aug. 2
via
India (Bombay), via Southampton
July 27.
July 26
A.
via Marseilles........ `t.
Portugal.... Aug.
........ Aug. 4.
~
Malta, Egypt, and Aden, via South pton July 20.
via Marseilles July 27. Newfoundland
........ ..Aug. 5.
Oporto and Vigo ..
U. S. and British N. America, by Brit. packet.. .. July 30'
by U.S. packet....
W.C. of Africa, Madeira, and lb'yenCe anriflaepackety.3o.
Bahamas, via New York
Jul
Memico.. July 29.
d.i.an .AJuulg 2140.
y
• . • • All parts of West Indies, including Chili, Peru 1
California. and British Columbia.. , July 29.

Full benefit of reduced duty obtained by pur-
chasing Horniman's pure Tea; very choice at 3s. 4d. and
45. "High Standard "at 4s. 4d. (formerly 4s. Bd.), is the
strongest and most delicious imported. Agents in ever,'
town supply it in packets.