The Sun.
London, England, 1864-12-15 00:00:00

OUR WIDOWED QUEEN,

(From the Times.)
Yesterday was the third anniversary of the
death of the late Prince Consort, and it was
marked by a touching ceremonial. Her Majesty and
the younger members of the royal family visited the
beautiful mausoleum which has been erected over the
Prince's remains, and paid a fresh tribute of affec-
tion to his memory. It seems but the other day that
the Queen and the nation suffered this great be-
reavement, but in the meantime how many changes
have taken place I In the Queen's own family the
Prince of Wales has passed from youth to manhood,
and now there is an heir to the throne in the second
generation. One more daughter has left her royal
mother's house for a foreign home. In the affairs
of the world there has been constant movement—
wars and revolutions, immense social and commer-
cial activity—bringing ever new duties to all classes
and particularly to those who stand highest and are
nearest to the throne. Yet the lapse of time has not
yet brought a due alleviation of sorrow to the chief
sufferer. Oppressed by a great grief, her M jesty
has retired from the world, and devoted her lite to
recollections of the past. Never has a husband been
more justly mourned than the eminent man who
was so suddenly snatched away three years since;
but in all bereavements there is a time when the
days of mourning should be looked upon as past.
The living have their claims as well as the dead ;
and what claims can be more imperative than those
of a great nation and the society of one of the first
European capitals? We might also speak of her
Majesty's own youthful family, whose introduction
into the social life which belongs to their station
depends on the resumption by the Court of its ordie
nary habits. But we will confine ourselves to the
public functions which the occupant of the throne
may be expeCted to fulfil, and ask, in all duty and
loyalty, whether the time has not now come when
they should once more be performed in person.
fhe Queen's most loyal subjects are precisely those
who think it is not a matter of indifference whether
the Sovereign should be seen and take part in pub-
lic matters and
.in social intercourse. No reigning
House can afford to confirm in their views those
who suggest that the Throne is only an antiquarian
relic and Royalty itself a ceremony, who think that
the less that is seen or heard of a Court the better,
The great mass of the nation are, happily for the
interests of Royalty, not of this opinion. They
desire that the highest personage in the realm, the
hereditary chief magistrate, should even in political
affairs use an individual judgment and a discretion
apart from the counsels of any set of politicians.
The balance of the Constitution depends, in fact, on
the Sovereign being able on certain occasions to rise
superior to party suggestions and stand as the re-
presentative of the nation and the guardian of the
Executive. But for any Sovereign to be able to
fulathis high duty when required, a proper inter-
course with the world and a knowledge which seclu-
sion soon loses are absolutely necessary. The Court
of England in recent times has always been so con-
ducted as to give the Sovereign a familiarity with
the most trustworthy opinions of the time by means
of intercourse with the ablest and most respected
persons in the land. To relinquish these.mettes of
learning what English people think and feel on all
subjects, to dry up the sources ofethat Royal tact
which is the most valuable quality a constitutional
Sovereign can possess, is to abandon something of
the prerogative of the Crown. It is impossible for
a recluse to occupy the British throne without a
gradual weakening of that authority which the
Sovereign has been accustomed to exert. The re-
gulation of a household may be in the power of such
a ruler, but the real sway of an empire will be im-
possible. For the sake of the Crown as well as of
the public, we would, therefore, beseech her Ma-
jesty to return to the personal exercise of her
exalted functions. Law or usage, it is true, dis-
penses with the Royal presence, and allows every
public act to be performed by deputy. The Queen
may open Parliament by commission,. and, to speak
of less important matters, she can make a Knight
of the Garter by proclamation, or hold a levee by
deputy. But these substitutions are intended for
extraordinary, and not for ordinary occasions. In
the early days of her Majesty's reign nothing
was more gratifying to the public than to learn
that there was a Royal Speech at the open•
ing or close of the session, and not a Message.
Equally beneficial was it to the interests of the Con-
stitution that with the chief enterprises of the day
the name of the Queen should be connected.
Whether it was an industrial exhibition, or a naval
review, or a new public building, it pleased the
people and strengthened the Throne when her Ma-
jesty was on the spot as the chief patroness of the
work. Such influences have a constitutional value
in a State like ours. It is also fair to say that the
society of England requires its chief hostess and its
natural leader. In every country where Royalty
exists, and moulds the manners of the wealthier
classes, there is an attraction in the presence of a
Court the failure of which becomes a public want.
It 'may be that in time the London season may
accustom itself to do withcat the Palace, but it is
not desirable that we should attain that point o
Republican simplicity. For every reason we true,

that, now that three years have elapsed and every
honour that affection and gratitude could pay to the
memory of the Prince Consort has been offered, her
Majesty will think of her subjects' claims and the
duties of her high station, and not postpone them
longer to the indulgence of an unavailing grief.

A Real Ghost Story.

(From the Caledonian Mercury.)

We commend the following to the notic; Of some of the
many publishers of readings for Christmas. The simple
facts transpired in a parish in Roxburghshire this present
month about midnight, between a Saturday and Sunday•
It was moonlight but cloudy, hence the night was some-
times clear and at other times nearly pitch dark—in fact,
it was such a night as witches, warlocks, and ghosts
used to delight in, and it seemed to our informant
that one of these supernatural visitants actually made

its appearance in the said pariah at the time above
mentioned, and the place was the churchyard. But
to begin at the beginning of the story, as it was
narrated to us by a respectable person who lived in a cottage
hard by the scene, and who with his wife and family also
got a fright. They had just retired to rest fur the night.
There was no light in the room but the flickering light of
the dying embers of the fire in the grate, when suddenly
the door opened, and an elderly woman rushed into the
room. She was almost oat of breath, and sat down almost
exhausted on the nearest seat. She nearly fainted away.
The guidfolks of the house recollected that they had for-
gotten to lock the door, and thought it must be some
human being in great distress who had run into their
house for protection. They gave her a drink td revive
her, and when she came round a little, in answer to the
question what ailed her ? she muttered out amidst long-
drawn sighs, that "she thought the time had gaen by fur
ghosts, but she had seen ane the nicht." In this way she
proceeded to tell how she had gone to pay a visit to her dear
departed husband's grave, for there was naebody like her
John. He was aye dear to her, and now that lie was away
there was nane to fill his place, and she never felt happy
unless when she was beside him. Aye, his very dust was
dear to her, and she could spend whole nights beside
him yet, though he had been buried now for months.
She said she had often before gone and stood beside his
tombstone for hours, and no one had fashed her till
that night, when she had got sic a gliff that she thought
she would not get over it. " Oh, me," said she, " that
awfu'-looking man. It wasna ma John. Na, na, ma John
had nae ugly-looking, black face like you; and then the
awfu' man never spoke a word, but made sic unearthly
sounds, and pointed wi' his hands whiles up and whiles
down, that I didna ken whether he was frae aboon or be•
low, and he made a' sorts of queer manoeuvres. He put his
hands up to his he'd, and looked for a' the world like
the black fella wi' his horns. It wasn't pia John,
I am sure, for he wadna hoe ghffad me that
way, and then he would have spoken to me
that I coati ha' kenned what he said ; but that awfu' man
wi' a' his screeching, and boobooing, and shaking o' his
head and hand didna speak in our tongue. Oh, that awfu'
man, his black heavy face is hunting me yet, and where he
came from I c inns ken either, I am sure. He didna come in
at the gate nor ower the wa'—he just started up before me
out o' John's grave, but he wasna ma John. I dinna ken
how I got away from that awfu-like apparition, or how I
cam here. Where am I ? So when she had finished her
story it was plain she had had a severe shock to her nerves.
The family into whose house she came, when they got a
light, knew her to be a respectable woman, and when she
was more composed the goodman kindly volunteered to
accompany her home. On the way they were met by the
decent woman's son, who had been searching everywhere
for his mother; and knowing that she frequently visited
the churchyard thought that she might possibly, late as it
was, have gone there, for she had been rather deeply affected
by the loss of her husband; so much so, that there was no
consolingi her, and there: was no keeping' her away from
the grave when she could get away. It. seems, however,
that she had got such a fright by that visit that she would
not soon seek back to a haunted churchyard. We can only
guess at a solution of the mysterious apparition. A deaf.
and dumb man with busby black beard and moustache
lodges in a dwelling overlooking the burying ground. He
may have seen the disconsolate woman there, and out of
pity for her had gone to advise her to go home; but hie
Etrauga appearance, want of speech, and the signs made
with his hands may have added to the poor woman's terror,
her heated imaginf,tion doing the rest.

The two Chambers of the Swiss Federal Assem•
bly met three d 458 ago to elect the President of
the Confederation for 1865. M. Shenk, of Berne,
Vice-President of the Federal Council for 1864, was
chosen by 105 votes to 26. M. Knusel, of Lncern,
was afterwards elected Vice-President by 86 votes
to 45.

AQUATICS.

SCULLER'S RACE FOR £4O.

A race for the above amount came off yesterday from
Putney to Barnes Railway Bridge, for £2O a side, between
Edward May of Vauxhall, and Edward Carter of Lam-
beth. Betting was 2tol on Carter. David Coombes was
Carter's umpire, and Harry Kelley showed him up; Harry
Salter looked after May, and G. Dreveitt was his pilot. Mr
Charles Newnham was referee. They were half au hour
getting away, Carter with the station, and a level start was
at length effected. A fine level race ensued for 200 yards,
and then May went ahead. He was too clear lengths at the
Dung Wharf, where he bored his man in shore, and tht,n
crossed and recrossed. Nearing Crab Tree, he suddenly
stopped quite exhausted, and Carter going by won with
great ease in 25 minutes 30 seconds. Thus has the ex-
champion Kiley trained the winners of £l,lO en the river
Thames in two following days.

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE—This day.

-.-Ap--_

LONDON, Dec. 15.7—Wind this day at noon—South
Easterly; moderate breeze, and cloudy weather, with a
slight fog.

MILFORD, Dec. 14.—Wind S.E.—Arrived—Due
nate, from Newfoundland for Cardiff. Sailed—San
steamer, for Jamaica.

FALMOUTH, Dec. 13.—Wind S.W.—Arrived--Spackle
,
from Calcutta.

PORTSMOUTH, Dec. 14.—Wind S.W.—Arrived—Chal-
lenger, from London for Shanghai.
(BY MAGNETIC TELEGRAPH.)

GRAVESEND, Thursday Morning.

Arrived, Dec. 14—Furet, from Gravelines—Meteor, fiont
Petersburg—lda Engelsken, from Emden; Ark, from
Dantz;g—Calcutta, steamer, from Calcutta.
Arrived, Dec.—Cavon, from Hudickswall—Augusta and.
Aurora, both from Emden—Express, from Helsinborg—
Concordia and Emilio, both from Groningen—Ann and
John, from Lanskrona.
Sailed—Triton, steamer, for Boulogne.
DEAL, Thursday Morning.

Passed, Dee.l4—Maria, for Demerara—Laiy Broughton,
for Caps of Good Hope—Night Watch, for Mogador—
Eaglet, for Oporto—Flying Cloud, for Moreton Bay—all,
from London.

Passed, Dec. 15—Aurora, screw steamer, from London
for Bordeaux—Harold, from Shields, for Naples.

Liverpool Cotton Market—This Day

Market quiet. Sales, about 5,000 bales.

THE ARTS CLUB.—The annual dinner of this
club took place yesterday evening at its house in Hanover-
square. The chair was filled ty Mr Thomas Hughes, and
about sixty gentlemen (the necessary limit) sat down tQ
dinner. The proceedings were as little formal as possible,
and after "Prosperity to the Club," "Art," "Literature,"
ica., had been given, the members present adjourned to the
conversezione afterwards held in their rooms upstairs.
Several fine oil paintings, portfolios of water colours, and
other works of art were exhibited by various members of
the club. This interesting gathering, which was success-
ful in every way, did not break up until early this morn-
ing. Amongst those present were—Mr Horace Jones (vice-,
chairman), Mr F. W. Burton, Mr Val Prinseps, Mr-
Edmund Yates, Mr A. F. Cockerell, Mr F. Walker, Mr J.
C. Parkinson, and Mr Tom Angell (hon. sec.).
LORD PALMERSTON.—The political life of Lord
Palmerston has been longer than that of any states-
man of the present century at home or abroad. That of
Prince Metternich lasted 54 years, from 1791 to 1848 ; that
of Count Nesselrode also the same number of years—viz.,
from 1802 to 1856; that of the Duke .of Wellington little
more than 45 years, dating from the time when he was Chief
Secretary in Dublin to his death; that of Sir R. Peel even
less still. But Lord Palmerston entered the House of Com-
mons in 1806, and has held office, with very slight inter-
missions, since 1807, or seven years more than half a tens
Onee a Week.
THE MONT CENIS TUNNEL.--In a highly inte.
resting article by Emile Level, in this fortnight's
Revue Contenzporaine, we find some curious details about
the piercing of the tunnel between Modena and Bardoneche.
It is well known that the whole length of the tunnel, wheri
completed, will be 12,200 metres. The machine used for the

purpose is M. Sommelier's perforator, set in motion by com-
pressed air. It consists of a piston working horizontally in
a cylinder, and carrying a chisel fixed upon it like a bayonet,
which at each stroke dashes with violence against the rock
to be pierced. Each time the chisel recoils, it turns round
in the hole, and as the latter is sunk deeper and deeper, tha
frame or shield, which carries, not one, but nine perlorators,
advances in proportion. While the chisel is doing its work
with extraordinary rapidity, a copper tube of small diameter
keeps squirting water into the hole, by which means all.thew
rubbish is washed out. behind the shield there is a tender,
which, by the aid of a pump set in motion by compressed'
air, feeds all these tubes with water, The noise caused by
the simultaneous striking of all the chisels against the rock
_ _

is absolutely deafening, enhanced as it is by the echo of the
tunnel. All at once the noise ceases, the shield recedes
behind it, and the surface of the, rock is perceived riddled
with 80 holes, varying in depth between 80 and 90 centi-
metres. These holes are now charged with cartridges, slow
matches burning at the rate of GO centimetres per minute
are inserted, and the workmen retire in haste. The explo-
sion seems to shake the mountain to its roots ; when all is
over the ground is fouad covered with fragments of the rock,
and an advance equal to the depth of the holes has been ob..
tained. On the Brandoneche side this year the average ad-
vance per month has been 50 metres; on the Blodane side
it has not exceeded 38 metres per month, owing to the
greater hardness of the rock on that side; there still re-
mains a length of about B,2sometres to go through, "it hen
completed the tunnel will have required the piercing of
1,200,000 holes, 550,000 kilogrammes of gunpowder
1,660,000 metres of slow match; the number of bayonets
rendered unserviceable will amount to 2,450,000.-6'a/Ig-
nani's Messenger.

A NEW DODGE.—A correspondent of the Times
writes as follows :—On Friday night, about six o'clock,
I was walking near Covent-garden, when a man came
up to me and, presenting a small piece of paper, asked
me if I oould tell him where that was. I concluded that
he wished me to tell him what I thought was an address
on the paper. While trying to make out this address by
the aid of the gaslight, I thought I felt something touch
my waistcoat pocket, and, looking down, I saw my watch-
Chain dangling loose, whereupon I immediately knocked
the inquirer down, and seizing him by the throat demanded
my watch. This was at once restored to me, and the fel-
low escaped, unluckily.
LIVERPOOL FAT CATTLE SHOW.—This show
opened yesterday in a large shed on the grounds of the
Zoological-gardens, Liverpool. There were 250 entries of
stock, and in every class the show was remarkably fine,
being much superior to the last exhibition. Among the
winners of prizes for cattle were the Earl of Derby (High-
land oxen) and Lord Skelmeradale (shorthorned heifers)—
sheep, Mr G. S. Foljambe (Leicester wethers and South-
down wethers), Mr James Nicholson (Cheviots), and Mr
Allan rollok (Irish wethers)--pigs. Earl of Sefton (large
breed), Earl of Derby (small breed), and Mr Thomas Crisp,
Suffolk, four prizes (cup for best pig, middle, small, and
large breeds).

DISAGREEABLE HOAXING.-My father's quarrels
with Prescott never last.long, nor did they with
Captain Craycraft, who commanded the Nymph, and in
the Daphne was taken prisoner and confined in France.
I remember on one occasion Craycraft being sent out at
Berkeley Castle with my brother Henry on. a particular
beat, on which they were forbidden to shoot anything
but woodcocks and rabbits. As they caine back by the
outer gate of the castle, lay brother Moreton being on
the watch for their return, the captain called out, and
showing him a full game bag with some pheasants' tails
sticking out, told him to run in to Lord Berkeley and say
they had been shooting pheasants. Moreton did so,
Craycraft taking very good care to go first into the castle,
in order that he might ascend to a safe place, and from
the ladies' tower, over the inner gateway, observe the effect
of his practical joke, Henry came into the outer court, and
my father, in a rage, rushed from his gunroom or study,
and seizing the bag furiously turned out the contents,
which consisted of nothing but rabbits with pheasants'
tail feathers somewhat quaintly attached to them. It
was long before Craycraft ceased laughing at the
hoax he had 80 successfully played.—Grahtiey Ber keley's
Life and Recollections.
ARRIVAL OF SPECIE FROM MEXICO.-ST. NA.
ZAIRE, October 16.—The steamship Lousiana has arrived
here from Mexico with 5,000,000 fr,, 2,000,000 fr• of which
are on account of the French Government.

About £65,000 in gold was taken into the Bank
yesterday, but 302,000 sovereigns Were with„
drawn.

The last week's railway receipts, ascertained -up
,o this day, are in round figures as under :

1864. 1863.
Great Western ....................X63,958 £60,708
North-Western ................. ...102,381 95'385
South-Western
Brighton
Midland
South Eastern....
Great Northern
Lancashire and Yorkshire.. 31,340 35,010
Bristol and Exeter .. 6,194 5,811
North-Eastern 69,243 65,587
Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincoln ' 17,324 17,614
31,667 30,707
Great Eastern ............

These returns aro in one or two instances of a
less satisfactory character. On the Lancashire and

Yorkshire there is a decrease of 040'; Manchester,

Sheffield, and Lincoln, £290; South Western,

£417 ; Greet Western, however, shows tin increase

of £3,250; North Western, £6,996',; Brighton,
£1,476 ; Midland, £4,402; South Eastern,. £343;

Great Northern, £1,954; Bristol and E%eter,

£383; North Eistorn, £4,656; Rnd the C.4.%1'

Eastern, £950,