The Sun.
London, England, 1864-08-17 00:00:00

FRANCE.

theßwith prices well
so:es Es,t a
tAetogf.
nlGa
c.
v:\iltayr,kbe tut still continues i
maintained. Threes, for the Account, are now at
66f. 50c, Mobilier have been in demand, and some
business done at 1,025 f. Railway Market quiet,
but in general firm, The market closed as fol.
lows :

41 per Cent 5....... 95
Do. ead month....
3 per Cents ...... 66 40
Do. end month.... 66 45
Credit Mobilier... 1025
Do. end m0nth....1030
Bank Shares ...... 3380
Credit p ander 1220
Roman .......... 76 50

Italian Loan 6B 35
Do. end month 6B 36
Ditto Threes
New Mexican 66
• • s•5O
Russian
Austrian .. —
Spanish Threes...*
Flom° Debt ..
Deferred

Ri.u.wAYs•
Cash. Account,
0r1ean5....... BSS -- .. 886 50
Northern
Lyons and i'ledittrrancan 925 .. 930
Southern 642 50 .. 616 25
Western
Sardinian 350 .. _
Austrian .... 428 75 .. 430
Lombard ............. 536 25 .. 538 75
North of Spain ..... 438 75 .. 441 25
Saragossa .... 510 .. 511 25
Ditto to Barcelona .... 232 50 .. 235

THE STATUE TO TILE LATE SIR G. C. LEWIS AT
HERE7OIIO.—The bronze statue, from the cast of
Baron Marocl4etti, to the memory of the late Sir George
Cornmall Lewis, Bart., has arrived in Hereford, The 3d
of September bas been fixed for its inauguration, on which
occasion Lord Palmerston has promised to deliver the in.
augural address. The Chancellor of the Exchequar is also
expected to be present. While in Herefordshire the noble
Premier will be the guest of the Rev, Archer Clive, of
Whitfield, brother of Mr Geo. Clive, M.P.
REPRDIENTATION OF FlNSBURY.—yesterday

the whole of Finsbury was placarded by large bills
containing three long columns of the names of persons who
have engaged to serve on a committee to secure the election
of Mr Alderman Lusk as member for the borough of Fins-
bury, in the room of Sir S. Morton Peto, who has accepted
a requisition to become a candidate for the representation of
Bristol. According to present appearances Finsbury is
likely to have a considerable choice of candidates at the
next general election. In addition to Mr Alderman Lusk,
Mr M'Cullagh Torrens and Mr Phillips, of the Coal E.
change, have offered themselves, whilst Mr Cox, one of the
sitting members, has announced his intention of seeking
re•election,

The Cruise of the Alabama and the Sumter. From
the Private Journals and other Papers of Com-
mander R. Semmes, C.S,N., and other Officers.
Two Vols. Saunders, Otley, and Co.
An authentic narrative of the gallant exploits of
Commander Semmes, the Cochrane of the Confedee
rate States, will be perused with eager interest by
all those, and their name is legion, who sympathise
with resolute courage and who are enthralled by
records of peril and adventure. Asearly as the spring
of 1861, President Davis, not content with gathering
together an army of heroic soldiers to defend the
new-born independence of the South, was anxious
to compete with the enemy at sea, The Federals
wete at that time well provided with ships, while
the Confederates had neither ships nor seamen,
to say nothing of their seeming lack of
officers. Nothing daunted, the new President,
with that happy discrimination which is the best
gift of these who govern, at once selected "the
right man in the right place." Captain Semmes
being then at his residence at Washington, a Com-
mander in the Federal Navy, received, on the 14th
February, 1861 (auspicious valentine !),a telegraphic
invitation from the South. Already the gallant
captain's Southern sympathies were well known.
Ho had dectared that "his judgment, his inclines
tions, and his affections wore with the Soath." On
this hint, therefore, he spoke : on the receipt of
the telegraphic message, ho at once relinquished his
Federal command, and almost immediately taking
commaad of the Sumter, he entered upon thet ad-
venturous career with which his name has become
so conspicuouslyiidentified. Another Rupert of Bo-
hemia, he combined the loyal discipline of the naval
officer with the reckless gallantry of the buccaneer.
Like "au eagle in a dovecote" the adventurous
Sumter, and afterwards the no less dauntless
Alabama "fluttered the Volscians" of the Fedeiat
navy till that once formidable armament
~as no.
where. Records of prize-taking ahoy:id in these
pages with almost monotonous cor:
Lmuance. Seme-
times the enemy is capture after after a breathless
chase and a fair resistanc'e. At others, the Alabama
has only to " come" ;end " conquer." In the case
of the Joseph Parker, captured by the Sumter, the
victors wore cemsiderably entertained by finding an
entry in the log-book of the prize, written the
day after she had set sail—" We have a tight, fast
veseel, and we don't care for Jeff. Davis I" Wearied
at last with three years of continuous adventure
and excitement, Captain Semmes and his heroic
companions were beginning to desire a respite from
their exertions—when, on the fatal 19th of June, the
gallant Alabama met her doom. On ter memorable
encounter with the Kearsage, " tte Alabama," says
the authentic narrative here before us, "entered
the lists when she should 'gave been lying in dock."
Perhaps the best sper:men we can give of the style,
at once simple ttnel vigorous, in which this Adven-
turous narrative is related, will be an extract from
the sad reco
erd of that disastrous day. The Kearsage
we are reminded, was "in first-rate condition."
The Alabama " fought withun exhausted frame" :
"She had the heroism to decide upon the conflict, without
the strength to choose the form of it. After some little
manoeuvring this became painfully evident to Captain
Semmes. The Keareage selected her distance at a range of
500 yards, and being well protected she deliberately took
time and fired with sure effect.
Captain Semmes had great confidence in the power of his
Blakeley rifled gun, and we believe it is a confidence not
shaken by its failure to win the day for him, He wished to
get within easy range of his enemy, that he might try this
weapon effectively; but any attempt on his part to come to
closer quarters was crAstrued by the Kearsage as a design
to bring the enga.gement between the ships to a hand-to-
hand conflict oetween the men. Having the speed, she
chose her distance, and made all thought of boarding hope-
less.

It 'des part of the plan of Captain Semmes to board, if
possible, at some period of the day, supposing that he could
not quickly decide the battle with artillery. It was evi-
dently Captain Winslow's determination to avoid the old-
fashioned form of a naval encounter, and to fight altogether
in the new style; his superior steam power gave him the
option. When the Alabama took her death wound she was
helpless. We must interpret the respectful distance main-
tained by the Kearsage up to the very last, and the persis-
tent -plying of her guns while the side of the sinking ship
was visible, as a settled resolution on Captain Winslow's
part to trust to guns alone, and throughout, so that a dan-
gerous proximity might bo shunned. That much homage
was paid by him to the hostile crew, and that his manoeuvre
was creditably discreet, few will deny.
The crew of the Alabama, seamen and officers, were in
high spirits throughout the engagement, though very early
the slaughter set in aml the decks were covered with blood.
Their fire was rapid and admirable. It has been said in the
House of Lords by no less a person than the Duke of
Somerset, that her firing was positively bad; and that she
hit the Kearsage only three times during the action. By
Captain Winslow's own admission the Kearsage was hit
twenty .eight times by shot and shell—or once to every
fifth discharge. No seaman knowing anything of an actual
engagement on the deep will object to the accuracy of such
an aim. Had the Kearsage shown the same blank sides as
the Alabama another tale might have been told. Captain
Semmes, however, perceived that his shell rebounded after
striking her, and exploded harmlessly. This led him to
rely upon solid shot. The Alabama not being thus or in
any way shielded, was pierced with shell, and soon showed
vast rents iu her after-part. Her pivot-gun was a distinct
mark for the enemy, and a single shell exploded near it
killed and wounded half the men by whom it was worked.
Each ship fought her starboard broadsides, and steamed in a
circle to keep that side to the enemy. So, for an hour, this, ,
to a distant spectator, monotonous marceuvre continued,
without perceptibly narrowing the range. Captain Semmes
was standing on the quarterdeck when the chief engineer
sent word to say that the ship was endangered by leakage.
The fisrt lieutenant, Mr Kell. was sent below to inspect the
damage. He returned with word that the ship was sinking.
Captain Semmes at once ordered the ship to be put about
and steered towards shore. But the water was rising in
her; the fires were speedily extinguished. The Alabama's
shot from slackening had now ceased. It was evident to
all on board that she was doomed. To have continued
fring would have been to indulge a stupid rancour, and to
act in such a manner is not in the nature of a seaman like
Captain Semmes. On the contrary, his thoughts were
directed towards saving the lives of his crew. He gave
command for the Confederate flag to be hauled down.
Well known as many of these incident already are,
their repetition in this more complete and compre-
hensive form will be right welcome, and the
romantic adventures of Captain Semmes and the
Alabama will for the time being absorb the atton.
tion even of the readers of" sensational" romance

Mysterious Legends of Edinburgh, now for the
First Time Told in Print. By Alexander Leigh.
ton, author of " Curious Storied Traditions," &o,
. _

One vol. Pp. 272. Nimmo.

Some nine or ten more or less enthralling legends,
with a few very spirited illustrations, are contained
in this volume. They will afford ample entertain-
ment for many an idle half hour, and will long linger,
we conjecture, in the memory of some readers.
",Deacon Macgilliroy's Disappearance," and " Lang
Sandy Woou'a Watch," are amusing perplexities
with very satisfactory results, Some others of the
tales have a more serious interest.

Our House and Garden; What we see and what we
do not see, in them, By Cuthbert W. Johnson,
F.R.S. One vol. Pp. 282. Ridgway.
A very interesting and valuable little book, with
much information, very pleasantly conveyed. "Our
Bedroom," " Our Breakfast Parlour," Our Dining-
table," " Our Garden," and " Our Plante," are all
made the subjects of very interesting comments.
The tea, the coffee, the butter, the marmalade,
are each in turn taken into consideration. Those
young inquirers who are always seeking the " why
and because" of everything, should be referred to
Mr Cuthbert Johnson.

the Portent ; a Story of the Second Sight. By
George Macdonald, author of " Within and
Without." One vol., pp. 200. Smith, Elder,

and Co.

The title of this book, of course, leads ns to expect
a thrilling and enthralling narrative, and in this we
are not disappointed, although we think the author
might have made more of a theme of such very
weird romance. The principal feature in the story
is the clattering of a horse's hoofs with the clanking
sound of one loose shoe. This is the Portent : it
resounds throughout the pages, and reaechoes in
our ears when the volume is closed.

Corpulence, its Diminution and Cure, without Ins
jury to Health. Fourth Edition.
Notes of Fifteen Cases of Disease Dependent upon
Corpulence, with the Result of treatment. By
John Harvey, M.DI Urn Smith and Co., Long.
acre, W.C..
Bo rapid has been the demand for this little trea•

By command of her Majesty, the Council of the Royal
Horticultural Society have directed that the gardens shall
be opened freely to the public on August 26, 1864, the an-
niversary of the birthday of his Royal Highness the Prince
Consort, the founder of the gardens. The council have issued
the following statement for the guidance of the public :
" There will be entrances to the gardens at the east in
Exhibition-road, west in Prince Albert's-road, and south
in the Exhibition-road. The entrances will be opened at 10
and closed at 6 o'clock, There are about 36 acres of ground
and ample epace for all visitors, No tickets will be issued.
The police will instruct visitors as to the several exits from
the ground. The conservatory, orchard houses, the arcades,
and the maze will all be opened. The cascades and Minton's
fountain will play. The Old Hundredth Psalm, a hymn
composed by the Prince Consort, and ' God save the Queen'
will be sung by the visitors. The singing will take place
on the north or upper terrace in front of the conservatory.
God save the Queen' will be sung at 6 o'clock, Bands will
be stationed in several parts of the gardens, and will per-
form at intervals during the day. Omnibuses pass the
gardens. steamers land passengers at Cadogan pier, Chel-
sea, and there is a railway station in the Fulham road,
both places being about a mile from the gardens. Clubs,
schools, &c., may be accompanied by the banners and
bands. Refreshments will be sold at moderate rates, or
visitors may bring their own. The south arcades at the
lower end of the garden, as in the Exhibition of 1862, and
either of the annexes, may be used for the refreshments
but visitors are requested not to use the flower garden as a
place for refreshments."

Frightful. Accident on the North London

Railway.

A fearful accident, causing the utmost excitement and
alarm in Camden Town, occurred to an express train, at

the Camden-road Station of the North London Railway,
which has been attended with the loss of lite in at least one
case. The escape of a large number of passengers who were
in the train was almost miraculous. The following are the
particulars of the occurrence as gathered upon the spot :
That portion of the railway which crosses Randolph-street,
and over which the platform of the Camden-road Station
extends, is supported on iron pillars, with wooden girders,
and it is about this point that the up-trains to the City
usually bring up their engines. The morning express,
which stops at the Camden-road station on its way to the
City, left Chalk Farm at its usual time (half-past nine),
and arrived at Camden-road a few minutes after. The ex-
press train was brought to a stand, with the engine just
on the eastern side of the bridge referred to. The passen-
gers at the station had entered the carriages, and the
moment the driver, named John Ellis, turned on his steam,
he was startled by hearing a report in his firebox, like
that of a retort or fog signal, and he instantly jumped
off. Before the unfortunate stoker, William Dayis, had
time to follow his example, the fire-box exploded with a
loud report. The engine was blown upward and forward
high into the air, and descended, carrying with it a large
portion of the stone coping and buttress of the brickwork
of the bridge into Randolph-street below—the greater por-

tion, however, resting on-the enclosed ground belonging to
the North London Company. But for the coupling chain
which secured the train to the engine snapping asunder
when the latter bounded from the line, the carriages retest
inevitably have been dragged over the bridge into the road
beneath. In its descent the engine had turned completely
round, and when it alighted on the ground it was found
that it had embedded its near side driving-wheel completely
in the earth. The alarm of the passengers, who rushed
frantically from the carriages, may be better imagined than
described. They were seen running in every direction, and
a great amount of confusion prevailed. The first object of
the station-master was to see if any one was injured ; and
fortunately, owing to the direction the explosion had taken,
none of the passengers were in the slightest degree hurt,
nor was any carriage damaged. The poor stoker, Davis,
was, however, found lying in the six-foot space, frightfully
mutilated and scalded. Ho was at once conveyed to Uni-
versity College Hospital, and it is not at all likely that
he will recover. As soon as the confusion occasioned by
the catastrophe had somewhat subsided, Mr Adams, the
chief of the locomotive department, was on the spot, with
Mr Anderson, locomotive foreman at Camden station of
the North-Western, Mr Mansell, the secretary, and other
authorities; and it was then discovered that the concus-
sion had somewhat shattered the wooden girders sup-
porting the bridge, but that the rails had been but little
if in any degree displaced. The force of the shock had
broken the coupling between the engine and the first
carriage short off at the buffer plank. The chimney was
smashed and knocked over; one of the massive iron side
plates, bearing the number of the engine, and the words
" North London Railway," was knocked off, and the whole
of the left side of the fire box was blown out, Here would
appear to have been the seat of explosion and cause of the
disaster. As a proof that the engine mounted high into the
air and turned completely round in her descent, it may be
mentioned that tho telegraph wires of the station, which
are some 10 or 15 feet above the line, were broken down,
and communication on that particular side of the line
stopped. Fortunately, there was no one passing under the
bridge at the time of the explosion, otherwise the result
would have been fatal. Only a minute previously, how-
ever, a horse and cart was driven by. The weight of the
engine is estimated at about 23 tons, from which sem° idea
may be formed of the force with which it fell. Ono of the
North-Western Company's servants was on the platform,
and he also was much scalded. Beyond the cases we have
named no one appears to have been injured. It is needless
to say that for a time the traffic was checked, but the rails
were soon repaired, and the trains ran in the order set down
in the table. The height of the bridge from which the en-
gine fell is about 25 feet. The engine, which was made in
1854 at Bristol, now lies covered in the roadway, a perfect
wreck. It may be added that the fragments of the machi-
nery were hurled in all directions, the fit e-bars flying about
like so many sticks of wood. The knowledge of the occur-
rence spread so rapidly that in a few minutes hundreds were
on the spot, and it required the aid of a strong force of the
S division of police to keep the crowds off the engine whilst
it was yet steaming away after it came over the railway.
In reply to inquiries made at the University College Hos-
pital last night it was stated that the stoker was dead,

It appears that Mr and Mrs Charles Kean, to-
gether with Miss Chapman and Mr Everett, de-
parted from Melbourne for Sydney on the 22d of June, per
steamer, en route for the Sandwich Islands and California.
Their departure had been delayed for several weeks by the
long and severe illness of Mrs Kean, from which she had
only just recovered suMciently to permit her to travel.
A Turin letter states that Prince Amadeus, Duke
of Aosta, lies
gone to visit the works for piercing
Mont Cenis. His royal highness was to visit th©
camp of St. Maurice on the 14th to take the com-
mand of the Ist Regiment of Infantry. The young
prince will remain there a month doing duty as
colonel, and taking part in all the manoeuvres of the
Camp, which consists of a whole corps d'artnee,
under the command of Gen. Plane

autumn.
The Right Hon. Sir Robert Peel, M.P., Od 154'
Emily Peel, left their residence in Whitehall-gardens, Yes'
terday, for Drayton Manor, Staffordshire.
The Right Hon. Thomas Milner Gibson, M.
left Cowes towards the close of tha past week for Dieppe/ 13
his yacht, and will be absent some weeks cruising off the
western coast of Franca.

_—
They do these Things Better in Frame.

TO THE EDITOR OF " THE SUN."
ari3
SIR,—It is very ioticeable in the fetes at present in P
that the Emperor is not slow to decorate good men. Iv
does not feel glad to find the decoration of the Legion o
Honour given to Hector Berlioz, whose exquisite writings
in the Debats and elsewhere, are the charm of our very
Mr lint
day musical literature. Let us fancy, if we can,
or the late Mr 'Thaekeray, or the late Mr
Berlioz is a wor-f
painter, or Mr Faraday, made Baronets.
worskiPPer of
shipper of Beethoven, as Mr Ruskin was a
Turner; but it is only our General Doyles we build statues
to, or make K.C.B.'s, says Victor Hugo. I find no statue
of Shakespeare ; but who is General Doyle, asks How
with curious irony. His is the greatest statue I
Even Jenner is moved from Trafalgar-square to make r°°l°
'Turner, the
for a gas lamp. Such is the light of modern civilisation
in civilised Albion. The opera in Paris partly supporta its
hospitals and Bethnal-greens by a penny tax on ePera
tickets ; a system of compensation is observed, and if there
be vice it helps the hospitals. Hector Berlioz is ere
champion of the opera; and so in decorating him the Eul"
peror assists both the opera and the charities of Paris. We'
on the contrary, would rather give a peerage or a pensfou to
a legion of old-fashioned generals. Place Jenner alongside
the horse ponds covered with chick-weed, in the park, Bud
let men like Bishop or Hullah follow Jenner into oblivion'
Charivari laughs at us, but it is probable such neglect Of
our truly great men does much mischief.—Yours,
August. A PHYSICIAN'